9/18/2019 Singapore | Global Network Initiative (d) to enable the Government to become a member of an international organisation or a party to an international agreement, the Minister may, after consultation with the IMDA or any telecommunication licensee, give such directions to the IMDA or that licensee as are necessary in the circumstances of the case. This may include: (a) provisions for the prohibition or regulation of such use of telecommunications in all cases or of such cases as may be considered necessary; (b) provisions for the taking of, the control of or the usage for official purposes of, all or any such telecommunication system and equipment; and (c) provisions for the stopping, delaying and censoring of messages and the carrying out of any other purposes which the Minister thinks necessary. The IMDA and any telecommunication licensee must give effect to any such direction given to them or they will commit an offence as set out above. If the Minister notifies the subject of such a direction that the disclosure of the direction is against the public interest then it must be kept confidential. The Minister may pay compensation for any damage caused to a telecommunication licensee by reason of its compliance with such directions. If any doubt arises as to the existence of a public emergency or as to whether any act done under this section was in the public interest or in the interests of public security, national defence or relations with the government of another country, a certificate signed by the Minister is considered conclusive evidence of the matters stated therein. OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT The OSA is Singapore’s primary legislation protecting state secrets and official government information mainly related to national security. Amongst other things, it prohibits, under section 5 the disclosure of such information by those holding it whether in their official capacity or otherwise. Section 9 of the OSA allows the Minister of Home Affairs, if it considers it expedient in the public interest, to order any person who owns or controls any telecommunication system in Singapore (including private networks), to produce the originals / transcripts of any messages sent from/to any place in Singapore, by any telecommunication system means. Moreover, under Section https://clfr.globalnetworkinitiative.org/country/singapore/ 9/13