Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 81

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Dual-Class Shares In Singapore – Where Ideology Meets Pragmatism, Pey Woan Lee Dec 2018

Dual-Class Shares In Singapore – Where Ideology Meets Pragmatism, Pey Woan Lee

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article seeks to understand the rationale for and potential implications of the introduction of dual class shares (DCS) in Singapore. It does so by first considering the theoretical as well as evidential arguments for and against the use of DCS, followed by a survey on the reception (or otherwise) of such structures in four common law jurisdictions with vibrant capital markets, viz., Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Hong Kong. It observes that the chief argument cited by business founders to justify the use of DCS structures is the desire to enhance a firm’s long-term profitability by shielding …


Stamp Duty Relief And Anti-Avoidance Provisions, Vincent Ooi Dec 2018

Stamp Duty Relief And Anti-Avoidance Provisions, Vincent Ooi

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Reliefs from stamp dutyIn certain circumstances, stamp duty reliefs may be applicable to instruments that would otherwise be dutia-ble, provided that the reliefs are claimed within specified statutory time limits. Such reliefs are distinct from stamp duty remissions, which may be granted by the Minister through the exercise of his powers under Sec-tion 74 of the Stamp Duties Act (Cap 312, 2006 Ed.). Under Section 74 of the Stamp Duties Act, the Minister has the discretion to prospectively or retrospectively reduce or remit duties subject to such conditions as he may impose. This power may be exercised on a general …


Against Populist Isolationism: New Asian Regionalism And Global South Powers In International Economic Law, Pasha L. Hsieh Dec 2018

Against Populist Isolationism: New Asian Regionalism And Global South Powers In International Economic Law, Pasha L. Hsieh

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article provides the most up-to-date examination of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which is poised to become the world’s largest free trade agreement (FTA). It argues that the 16-country mega-FTA will galvanize the paradigm shift in Asian regionalism and build a normative foundation for the Global South in international economic law. Based on intertwined theoretical and substantive claims, this article opens an inquiry into the assertive legalism of developing nations in the new regional economic order. It further manifests the pivotal force of emerging economies against populist isolationism in the Trump era that undermines the neoliberal foundation of …


Book Review: The Negotiator's Desk Reference, Dorcas Quek Anderson Dec 2018

Book Review: The Negotiator's Desk Reference, Dorcas Quek Anderson

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Negotiation theory and practice have evolved at a phenomenal pace since thepublication of Fisher and Ury’s seminal work Getting to Yes.1 The sheer breadth of topics inThe Negotiator’s Desk Reference2 (“NDR”) attests to how negotiation has advanced as a multidisciplinary field. Published in 2017 to replace its predecessor The Negotiator’s Fieldbook,3the NDR comprises 101 chapters written by very prominent academics and practitioners drawnfrom a wide range of professions, disciplines and cultures. According to its editors, more thanhalf of the contents are new, reflecting the new frontiers of the negotiation field.


Protecting Consumers' Personal Data In The Digital World: Challenges And Changes, Man Yip Dec 2018

Protecting Consumers' Personal Data In The Digital World: Challenges And Changes, Man Yip

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

At the Personal Data Protection Seminar 2017, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information, said that Singapore must “aspire towards a high standard of data protection that strengthens trust with the public, gives confidence to customers whose data is collected and used, while providing an environment for companies to thrive in the digital economy”.


Quest For Relevance: Whither The Asean Charter In Shaping A Shared Regional Identity And Values, Tan K. B. Eugene Dec 2018

Quest For Relevance: Whither The Asean Charter In Shaping A Shared Regional Identity And Values, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Promulgated in 2007, the Charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reaffirms ASEAN’s longstanding policy of non-interference in member-states’ internal affairs and the retention of consultation and consensus as fundamental tenets of decision-making in ASEAN. This essay considers the role of soft law in the interpretation and development of the ASEAN Charter. It also considers whether the Charter will help ASEAN achieve integration as well as promote democracy, human rights and development in an immensely diverse region comprising half a billion people. The essay argues that although the Charter is a binding legal instrument, the text enables a …


Protecting Consumers' Personal Data In The Digital World: Challenges And Changes, Man Yip Dec 2018

Protecting Consumers' Personal Data In The Digital World: Challenges And Changes, Man Yip

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

At the Personal Data Protection Seminar 2017, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information, said that Singapore must “aspire towards a high standard of data protection that strengthens trust with the public, gives confidence to customers whose data is collected and used, while providing an environment for companies to thrive in the digital economy”.


All Eyes Will Be On How Heng And His 4g Team Lead Singapore, Tan K. B. Eugene Nov 2018

All Eyes Will Be On How Heng And His 4g Team Lead Singapore, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan said the choice of Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat as the People’s Action Party’s first assistant secretary-general should not come as a surprise as he was the only fourth-generation (4G) leader to be made a full Minister upon winning his maiden election in 2011, helming the Education Ministry between 2011 and 2015. He opined that Mr Heng’s 4G team will have to stamp their distinctive collective identity and leadership ethos as governance becomes increasingly complex.


Whole-Of-Society Approach Needed Against Truth Decay, Eugene K. B. Tan Nov 2018

Whole-Of-Society Approach Needed Against Truth Decay, Eugene K. B. Tan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In an age of pervasive informationflows, governments do not defeat fake news. It's the people as a society whodo.The threatof deliberate falsehoods, or more popularly "fake news", posesserious threats to the democratic wellbeing of societies. The marketplace ofideas increasingly suffers from truth decay, propagated online or offline,imperilling an already vulnerable information ecosystem. In turn,this compromises the functioning of a democracy, which is premised on citizenshaving a shared reality rather than multiple distorted realities.


Premature Service Of Payment Claims Under The Building And Construction Industry Security Of Payment Act: Audi Construction Pte Ltd V Kian Hiap Construction Pte Ltd, Benjamin Joshua Ong Nov 2018

Premature Service Of Payment Claims Under The Building And Construction Industry Security Of Payment Act: Audi Construction Pte Ltd V Kian Hiap Construction Pte Ltd, Benjamin Joshua Ong

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In Audi Construction Pte Ltd v Kian Hiap Construction Pte Ltd, the Singapore Court of Appeal considereda payment claim to have been validly served although it was served earlier thanthe contractually stipulated date. This was because the service of the paymentclaim was “effective” only from the contractually stipulated date, and theclaimant had had a “good reason” to serve the payment claim early. This notecritically examines the reasoning in Audi vis-à-vis the existing law, the principleof freedom of contract, and the intentions of the parties in that case. In theabsence of future judicial elaboration on the “effective service” and “goodreason” doctrines, …


Three “Pitfalls” For The Unwary: Third-Party Funding In Asia, Darius Chan Nov 2018

Three “Pitfalls” For The Unwary: Third-Party Funding In Asia, Darius Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

For some time, practitioners would have seen news alerts headlining that third-party funding is permitted in Singapore and Hong Kong for arbitration and arbitration-related court proceedings. Digging a little deeper beyond the shiny new labels, this article highlights three practical “pitfalls” which practitioners would have to be mindful of when dealing with third-party funding in Singapore and Hong Kong.


Disruptive Technologies And Sustainable Development: Implications For Southeast Asia, Ching-Fu Lin, Han-Wei Liu Nov 2018

Disruptive Technologies And Sustainable Development: Implications For Southeast Asia, Ching-Fu Lin, Han-Wei Liu

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Disruptive technologies, including artificial intelligence, distributed ledger technologies, and the internet of things, are driving a transformative reorganisation of economic structures. If correctly harnessed, these emerging technologies have the potential to assist economies in creating new efficiencies, boosting productivity, and enhancing international trade. This paper explores the scope for these technologies to contribute to sustainable development, highlighting how they could be deployed and implications for Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.


Whole-Of-Society Approach Needed Against Truth Decay, Tan K. B. Eugene Nov 2018

Whole-Of-Society Approach Needed Against Truth Decay, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan opined that technology has compounded the problem of fake news and that governments and legislation are not the only means to curb them. This is especially so when blunt legislation may end up eroding the fundamental liberty of freedom of speech and expression. He sought the use of a multi-pronged, multi-stakeholder approach against disinformation campaigns and with trusted sources of information being boosted to produce real information for the public.


The European Union And The Establishment Of Marine Protected Areas In Antarctica, Nengye Liu Nov 2018

The European Union And The Establishment Of Marine Protected Areas In Antarctica, Nengye Liu

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This paper examines how the EU can best use its powers to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in Antarctica. It first discusses the EU’s role in Antarctic governance and legal basis for the EU’s actions, with particular focus on the pending Joined Cases C-625/15 and C-659/16 at the Court of Justice of the European Union. Secondly, the paper analyses the negotiation process of the EU’s MPA proposals in the Southern Ocean within the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. Thirdly, it provides suggestions regarding the EU’s potential actions that might help achieve proposed Antarctic MPAs.


Family Law, Siyuan Chen Oct 2018

Family Law, Siyuan Chen

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

No abstract provided.


Siac-Simc's Arb-Med-Arb Protocol, Aziah Hussin, Claudia Kuck, Nadja Alexander Oct 2018

Siac-Simc's Arb-Med-Arb Protocol, Aziah Hussin, Claudia Kuck, Nadja Alexander

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In conjunction with its launch on 5 November 2014, the Singapore International MediationCentre (SIMC), in collaboration with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), introduced the Arbitration-Mediation-Arbitration (Arb-Med-Arb) Protocol (the AMA Protocol), aprocess that aims at combining the benefits of these two most prominent alternative dispute resolution tools.


Enforcing Town Councils’ Duties Of Financial Prudence: Problems Addressed By The Town Councils (Amendment) Act 2017, Benjamin Joshua Ong Oct 2018

Enforcing Town Councils’ Duties Of Financial Prudence: Problems Addressed By The Town Councils (Amendment) Act 2017, Benjamin Joshua Ong

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article discusses the means by which a TownCouncil’s statutory duties, particularly its duties of financial prudence, maybe enforced. It studies the law as it was prior to 2017 and reveals variousconceptual and practical problems, the result of which was that it was possiblefor a Town Council to fail to perform its statutory duties and face onlyminimal consequences. This article willprovide a background to some of the new statutory procedures introduced in the2017 amendments to the Town Councils Act, which solve the problems from whichthe previous law suffered. It is hoped that this will shed light on the historyof the …


Is Article 16(3) Of The Model Law A ‘One-Shot Remedy’ For Non-Participating Respondents In International Arbitrations?, Darius Chan Oct 2018

Is Article 16(3) Of The Model Law A ‘One-Shot Remedy’ For Non-Participating Respondents In International Arbitrations?, Darius Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

It is not uncommon for practitioners acting for claimants in an arbitration to encounter a respondent who chooses to boycott the arbitral process. In cases involving such “non-participating” respondents, what are the rights and obligations of each party? Specifically, insofar as Model Law jurisdictions are concerned, if a tribunal decides on jurisdiction as a preliminary issue must the non-participating respondent apply under Article 16(3) of the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (Model Law) to the curial Court to review that decision, or otherwise lose the right to challenge any eventual award thereafter on jurisdictional grounds? Can the non-participating …


Reframing The Sustainable Development Goals To Achieve Sustainability In The Anthropocene — A Systems Approach, Michelle Mei Ling Lim, Peter Sogaard Jorgensen, Carina Wyborn Oct 2018

Reframing The Sustainable Development Goals To Achieve Sustainability In The Anthropocene — A Systems Approach, Michelle Mei Ling Lim, Peter Sogaard Jorgensen, Carina Wyborn

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Griggs et al. (2013) redefine sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present while safeguarding Earth’s life-support system, on which the welfare of current and future generations depend.” We recommend this as the end goal that the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) should strive to achieve. Integration across the SDGs is less than what is required from a science perspective. Effective implementation of the SDGs will require States to attend to trade-offs and overlaps. We argue that continuous failure to address integration within the SDGs will jeopardize realization of this ultimate end goal. Therefore, we adopt …


An Analysis Of St. Thomas Aquinas’S Position On The Relationship Between Justice And Legality, Wei Yao, Kenny Chng Oct 2018

An Analysis Of St. Thomas Aquinas’S Position On The Relationship Between Justice And Legality, Wei Yao, Kenny Chng

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This paper is directed at a deep investigation of Thomas Aquinas's position on the relationship between justice and legality, a perennial debate in legal philosophy - are unjust laws laws at all? Modern natural law theorists taking contradictory positions all claim to be faithful to Aquinas's ideas on the matter. Yet, they cannot all be correct. This paper aims to discern Aquinas's true position on the matter by undertaking a detailed study of Aquinas's Treatise on Law, the broader context of the Summa Theologiae within which the Treatise is situated, and Aquinas's methodological and definitional approaches.


2018 Changes To The Evidence Act And Criminal Procedure Code - The Criminal Justice Reform Bill And Evidence (Amendment) Bill, Siyuan Chen, Eunice Chua Oct 2018

2018 Changes To The Evidence Act And Criminal Procedure Code - The Criminal Justice Reform Bill And Evidence (Amendment) Bill, Siyuan Chen, Eunice Chua

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Various portions of the Evidence Act and Criminal Procedure Code were amended in 2018 vide the Criminal Justice Reform Bill and Evidence (Amendment) Bill; this was a continuation of a series of gradual but important changes to the criminal justice system that had begun in 2010 when the old Criminal Procedure Code was replaced. This legislation comment outlines and briefly analyses some of the most substantive changes brought about by the 2018 amendments: the video-recording of interviews in criminal proceedings; the introduction of a psychiatrist panel to regulate the reception of evidence from expert psychiatric witnesses in criminal proceedings; and …


The 2017/18 International Moots Season In Review, Siyuan Chen, Eunice Chua Oct 2018

The 2017/18 International Moots Season In Review, Siyuan Chen, Eunice Chua

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Overview of the Season. This is the fourth annual review of Singapore’s performance in international moot competitions. As the latest moot season draws to a close, we are happy to report that the 2017/18 season has been another fairly decent one for Singapore mooters.


Law Collection @ Smu Libraries: Raising The Bar For Access And Discovery, Shameem Nilofar Maideen Sep 2018

Law Collection @ Smu Libraries: Raising The Bar For Access And Discovery, Shameem Nilofar Maideen

Research Collection Library

No abstract provided.


Strengthening The Legal Practice The Heart Way, Tan K. B. Eugene Sep 2018

Strengthening The Legal Practice The Heart Way, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan opined that even as the legal profession strives to remain relevant, it must resolve to be steadfast and true to its calling. The report of the Committee for the Professional Training Lawyers recently released urged all those seeking to read law and to practise law “[to] be frank in asking themselves why they are attracted to the profession”. Associate Prof Tan noted that with the Government accepting in principle the committee’s recommendations, the pathway to be a full-fledged lawyer is going to be more demanding and longer.


Building An Informed Citizenry In The Battle Against Disinformation, Tan K. B. Eugene Sep 2018

Building An Informed Citizenry In The Battle Against Disinformation, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan opined that the report of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods affirms a veritable truth: that the best antidote against weaponised falsehoods is an informed citizenry. However, he noted that this recommendation to nurture well-informed citizens is also likely to be the most challenging to realise the desired outcomes. An informed public will take a substantial period of time to evolve. He also cautioned the need for judicial oversight over severe powers that might abuse freedom of speech and expression and recognise that a government of the day may …


It Is Not About The Drugs: A Comparative And Contextual Analysis Of Singapore And European Approach To Drug Issues, Rathna N. Korman Sep 2018

It Is Not About The Drugs: A Comparative And Contextual Analysis Of Singapore And European Approach To Drug Issues, Rathna N. Korman

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article aims to establish that Singapore’s drug policy and approach though not in tandem, is consistent with the elements espoused in the harm reduction approach advocated by the Global Commission on drug policies. The Commission takes the position that drug control nationally has to be aligned with the sustainable development goals agenda approved by the member states in 2015. It has recommended abolishing death penalty for all drug related offences, decriminalizing drug possession and cultivation for personal consumption, implementing non-penal sanctions for all low level drug offenders, and exploring non-penal regulatory models following decriminalization. There is a paradigm shift …


Board Independence As A Panacea To Tunnelling? An Empirical Study Of Related Party Transactions In Hong Kong And Singapore, Christopher C. H. Chen, Wai Yee Wan, Wei Zhang Sep 2018

Board Independence As A Panacea To Tunnelling? An Empirical Study Of Related Party Transactions In Hong Kong And Singapore, Christopher C. H. Chen, Wai Yee Wan, Wei Zhang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In this article, we examine a general question: is the legal transplantation of corporate governance rule effective in curtailing agency costs? Entering into the 21st century, we have seen reforms of corporate governance standards in the Far East since the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997, including in Hong Kong and Singapore. These reforms built on the Anglo-American model of corporate governance in the UK and US supported by broad academic literature of connecting better corporate governance with firm value and identifying the association of tunneling or wrongdoings with poor corporate governance practices. The idea is also to provide more checks-and-balances …


How Should The Courts Know Whether A Dispute Is Ready And Suitable For Mediation? An Empirical Analysis Of The Singapore Courts’ Referral Of Civil Disputes To Mediation, Dorcas Quek Anderson, Eunice Chua, Tra My Ngo Aug 2018

How Should The Courts Know Whether A Dispute Is Ready And Suitable For Mediation? An Empirical Analysis Of The Singapore Courts’ Referral Of Civil Disputes To Mediation, Dorcas Quek Anderson, Eunice Chua, Tra My Ngo

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In line with international developments in court-connected mediation, the Singapore courts have strongly supported the use of mediation and have taken steps to encourage litigants to attempt mediation. This article features the very first empirical analysis of the Singapore courts' referral of civil cases to mediation. Although focused on Singapore, the results of the study also inform the referral policies of other judiciaries that similarly engage in the practice of referring cases for mediation. The study uses a rigorous method to shed light on the crucial factors to be considered by the courts in referral practice and designing of mediation …


Out Now: Recognition And Enforcement Of Foreign Judgments In Asia, Adeline Chong Aug 2018

Out Now: Recognition And Enforcement Of Foreign Judgments In Asia, Adeline Chong

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

A compendium of country reports on the law on the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in ASEAN, Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea has been published by the Asian Business Law Institute, a research institute based in Singapore.


China’S Changing Position Towards Marine Protected Areas In The Southern Ocean: Implications For Future Antarctic Governance, Nengye Liu, Cassandra M. Brooks Aug 2018

China’S Changing Position Towards Marine Protected Areas In The Southern Ocean: Implications For Future Antarctic Governance, Nengye Liu, Cassandra M. Brooks

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The paper first briefly describes the negotiation process of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean. Then it examines China's changing position towards the establishment of a Ross Sea MPA, as proposed by the United States and New Zealand in the Commission for Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. Finally, the paper explores how China's position towards or against Southern Ocean MPAs implies China's future role in Antarctic governance.