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Discovering Significant Topics From Legal Decisions With Selective Inference, Jerrold Tsin Howe Soh Apr 2024

Discovering Significant Topics From Legal Decisions With Selective Inference, Jerrold Tsin Howe Soh

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

We propose and evaluate an automated pipeline for discovering significant topics from legal decision texts by passing features synthesized with topic models through penalized regressions and post-selection significance tests. The method identifies case topics significantly correlated with outcomes, topic-word distributions which can be manually interpreted to gain insights about significant topics, and case-topic weights which can be used to identify representative cases for each topic. We demonstrate the method on a new dataset of domain name disputes and a canonical dataset of European Court of Human Rights violation cases. Topic models based on latent semantic analysis as well as language …


Data Sovereignty And Trade Agreements: Three Digital Kingdoms, Henry S. Gao Feb 2024

Data Sovereignty And Trade Agreements: Three Digital Kingdoms, Henry S. Gao

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

For centuries, international lawyers have wrestled with the relationship between national sovereignty and international law. This is also the case of international trade law, where the tension between trade liberalization and national sovereignty culminated in the famous “Great 1994 Sovereignty Debate” between the late Prof. John Jackson and other leading scholars when the WTO came into being. As we enter the digital age, the issue of sovereignty resurfaced once again in the form of data sovereignty. In this paper, I will examine provisions in trade agreements which deal with data sovereignty issues, such as restrictions on data flow such as …


Similar Fact Evidence In Contractual Interpretation: Bhoomatidevi D/O Kishinchand Chugani Mrs Kavita Gope Mirwani V Nantakumar S/O V Ramachandra And Another [2023] Sghc 37, Calvin John Kaiwen Chirnside Jan 2024

Similar Fact Evidence In Contractual Interpretation: Bhoomatidevi D/O Kishinchand Chugani Mrs Kavita Gope Mirwani V Nantakumar S/O V Ramachandra And Another [2023] Sghc 37, Calvin John Kaiwen Chirnside

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In the recent Singapore High Court case of Bhoomatidevi d/o Kishinchand Chugani Mrs Kavita Gope Mirwani v Nantakumar s/o v Ramachandra and another [2023] SGHC 37, the claimant argued, inter alia, that evidence of a prior contract between the first defendant and a third party should be admitted to prove that the defendant had entered into a loan agreement with her in his personal capacity. Justice Lee Seiu Kin dismissed her claim, applying s. 14 of the Evidence Act.


Hague Service Convention Enters Into Force In Singapore, Adeline Chong Dec 2023

Hague Service Convention Enters Into Force In Singapore, Adeline Chong

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Singapore acceded to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil or Commercial Matters (‘Service Convention’) on 16 May 2023. It has now entered into force in Singapore on 1 December 2023. Two declarations were lodged: first, against Article 8(1) objecting to the direct service of judicial documents upon persons in Singapore through foreign diplomatic or consular agents unless the documents are to be served upon a national of the State from which the documents originate; and secondly, objecting to service of judicial and extrajudicial documents in Singapore by the methods of transmission set …


"Takings" And "Givings" In Singapore: Land Law And Policy In The Search For Justice, Rachel Phang Dec 2023

"Takings" And "Givings" In Singapore: Land Law And Policy In The Search For Justice, Rachel Phang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

In the United States and globally, cities are increasingly plagued by deepening housing crisis and widening economic inequality. In the face of these crises, this Article focuses on the potentially powerful role for land law and policy in the search for justice. Specifically, it does so by reference to two unusual yet illuminating choices of theory and application: the case study of Singapore, and the school of thought of Georgism, both of which accord inordinate and paramount importance to land. Singapore’s land law and policy have been characterized by extensive takings and givings of land. In consequence, the State owns …


Criminal Law In Myanmar, Wing Cheong Chan, Mark Mcbride, Neil: Yeo Morgan Dec 2023

Criminal Law In Myanmar, Wing Cheong Chan, Mark Mcbride, Neil: Yeo Morgan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

A commentary on the Myanmar Penal Code that describes and critically evaluates the general principles of criminal responsibility contained in the Code.This book was originally published in English in 2016. It was republished in Burmese in 2023.


China’S Changing Perspective On The Wto: From Aspiration, Assimilation To Alienation, Henry S. Gao Dec 2023

China’S Changing Perspective On The Wto: From Aspiration, Assimilation To Alienation, Henry S. Gao

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Since its accession to the WTO twenty years ago, China’s image has shifted from a good student aspiring to assimilate itself into the multilateral trading system to one that is increasingly alienated from key WTO principles. How has China’s perspective on WTO been evolving? What are the reasons behind China’s changing perspective? This chapter addresses these questions from the Chinese perspective with a comprehensive analysis of the key moments in China’s first two decades in the WTO, followed by practical suggestions on how to engage China more constructively in the WTO and beyond.


The Relationship Between Constitutional Equality And Substantive Review, Wei Yao, Kenny Chng Nov 2023

The Relationship Between Constitutional Equality And Substantive Review, Wei Yao, Kenny Chng

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

General equality rights in written constitutions – rights stating the ideal of equality without specifying categories of impermissible differentiation – have often been effected through the idea of equality as rationality. Equality as rationality demands that differentiations between like entities have to be rationally justifiable. Such equality rights are applicable to legislation and executive action. This presents a prima facie overlap with substantive review in common law administrative law, since substantive review is also concerned about the rational justifiability of executive action. This raises three questions: (1) Are both sets of legal principles indeed similar? (2) Have courts managed to …


Foreword, Vincent Ooi Oct 2023

Foreword, Vincent Ooi

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Family law goes beyond divorce cases, often requiring the family law practitioner to advise and assist on matters involving children and young persons, and protection orders. These can be some of the most challenging issues which a person can face and it is not always obvious to someone needing help that they can turn to the law for assistance in appropriate cases. This makes books like this one crucial in spreading the word that help is available, preventing a situation where people facing difficulties might have to suffer in silence.Fung Peen’s first two books on Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) …


A Review Of The 2022/23 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen Oct 2023

A Review Of The 2022/23 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This is the ninth annual review of Singapore’s performance in international moot court competitions. The preceding season (2021/22) had set a high bar, considering that Singapore law schools took the top two spots in the NICA Law School Rankings. The NICA rankings are based on how law schools throughout the world perform in various international moots, with points weighted according to the scale of the competition. With six championships (including two Grand Slams) as well as a third championship final appearance in the Jessup, SMU took top spot in the NICA rankings for the second time in its history.


How To Understand China's Approach To Central Bank Digital Currency?, Heng Wang Sep 2023

How To Understand China's Approach To Central Bank Digital Currency?, Heng Wang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

China's central bank digital currency (CBDC), digital yuan or e-CNY, is likely to profoundly affect the international financial system. China's CBDC is fast evolving. Understanding the influencing factors of China's CBDC will likely be crucial to explore its future direction. Major influencing factors include (i) China's perception and conception of regulation and technology, (ii) complementarity between China's preferences and CBDC development, (iii) domestic and international legitimacy, and (iv) institutional development. This paper argues that these influencing factors contribute to China's likely approach of selectively reshaping the international financial system. Given the potential wide-ranging implications of the introduction of CBDC globally, …


Escape From The Hangman's Noose? Singapore's Discretionary Death Penalty For Drug Traffickers, Wing Cheong Chan Sep 2023

Escape From The Hangman's Noose? Singapore's Discretionary Death Penalty For Drug Traffickers, Wing Cheong Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

After nearly fifty years of the mandatory death penalty for drug offences, Singapore amended its law in 2012 to give judges a choice in certain situations to impose a sentence of death or life imprisonment instead. However, this change should not be misunderstood as an alteration in Singapore’s zero-tolerance approach towards illegal drugs. Escaping the mandatory death penalty regime under the new law requires fulfilment of strict conditions. This article reviews the exceptional circumstances that are required before judges are given the discretion to impose the death penalty or not and the application of the new law by the Singapore …


Reconsidering The Imposition Of Dual Vicarious Liability In The Borrowed Employee Context: The Singapore Approach In Munshi Mohammad Faiz V Interpro Construction Pte Ltd [2021] 4 Slr 1371 And Hwa Aik Engineering Pte Ltd V Munshi Mohammad [2021] 1 Slr 1288, Danny Ong, Aaron Yoong, Louis Yi Hang Lau Sep 2023

Reconsidering The Imposition Of Dual Vicarious Liability In The Borrowed Employee Context: The Singapore Approach In Munshi Mohammad Faiz V Interpro Construction Pte Ltd [2021] 4 Slr 1371 And Hwa Aik Engineering Pte Ltd V Munshi Mohammad [2021] 1 Slr 1288, Danny Ong, Aaron Yoong, Louis Yi Hang Lau

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The limits of the law on dual vicarious liability were recently tested in the decisions of Munshi Mohammad Faiz v Interpro Construction Pte Ltd [2021] 4 SLR 1371 and Hwa Aik Engineering Pte Ltd v Munshi Mohammad [2021] 1 SLR 1288, both before the General and Appellate divisions of the High Court. Against the backdrop of these decisions, this case note argues that the approach laid down by the High Court may go some ways in resolving the tension and assist in settling the perennial question of the role of control in dual vicarious liability. In particular, it is argued …


Effect Of Amended Claim On A Warrant Of Arrest In An Admiralty Action In Rem, Ming En Tor Sep 2023

Effect Of Amended Claim On A Warrant Of Arrest In An Admiralty Action In Rem, Ming En Tor

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Suppose I have filed my statement of claim endorsing the writ in rem, and the Registrar has issued a warrant of arrest reflecting this claim. I then proceed to execute a warrant of arrest to arrest a vessel. Now, suppose, however, I later discover that the original claim stated in the warrant of arrest does not exist. I then substitute the original claim with a completely different claim altogether. Can the warrant of arrest be upheld based on the amended claim and/or cause of action, even if it was not so pleaded initially when the action in rem commenced? This …


Competition Among Purposes: The Chinese Experience In The Governance Of Climate Change And Energy Transition, Henry S. Gao, Weihuan Zhou Aug 2023

Competition Among Purposes: The Chinese Experience In The Governance Of Climate Change And Energy Transition, Henry S. Gao, Weihuan Zhou

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Energy governance at the international level is fraught with difficulties due to the 'competition among purposes' between different bodies of international law. In this paper, we extend this thesis to argue that the same tension may be found in domestic energy governance. Drawing from China's experience in the governance of climate change and energy transition, we analyse how the misalignment of incentives between different actors and the incomplete market reform led to a drastic shift in policy in 2021. We also compare the different approaches in China's energy governance and trade governance and draw some general lessons on how developing …


Conceptualizing Condominium Law And Children: Comparing The State Of Strata Titles Law In New South Wales And Singapore, Hang Wu Tang Jul 2023

Conceptualizing Condominium Law And Children: Comparing The State Of Strata Titles Law In New South Wales And Singapore, Hang Wu Tang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Purpose: This article conceptualises the legal relations embedded within condominium housing and the various theories of property ownership to ascertain how children’s interest fit within this framework. The laws of two jurisdictions, New South Wales and Singapore are examined to determine how their strata law responds when children’s safety is at stake. Design/methodology/approach: A comparative method using case law, statutes and secondary literature across both jurisdictions is adopted. This article also draws on various theories of property ownership. Findings: Drawing on pluralist moral theories of property law, the thesis advanced is that children’s issues within condominiums should not be subject …


The Geoeconomics Of Belt And Road Disputes: A Case Study On The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Mark Mclaughlin Jun 2023

The Geoeconomics Of Belt And Road Disputes: A Case Study On The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Mark Mclaughlin

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article argues that the dovetailing economic, geopolitical, and security interests that underpin the Belt and Road Initiative demands a dispute resolution mechanism that focuses on broader interests and legal rights. Using the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a case study, it identifies the conditions in which Chinese investors could have initiated an investment arbitration but did not. This can be explained by the rights-based orientation of investment treaties failing to reflect the interests of multi-project initiatives. Instead, alternative methods of home state intervention, such as state-funded political risk insurance, are used to protect investors. In other words, the political …


The Islamisation Of The English Trust: The Hibah Trust In Malaysia, Hang Wu Tang Jun 2023

The Islamisation Of The English Trust: The Hibah Trust In Malaysia, Hang Wu Tang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Malaysia, being a former English colony, inherited a corpus of English law which includes equity and trusts. In recent times, major banks, financial institutions, and trust companies have reimagined the English trust in combination with Islamic law, by offering an innovation called the hibah trust. This instrument represents the Islamisation of the English trust concept where the Islamic idea of the hibah, an inter vivos gift and the English trust is combined as a wealth management offering to clients. This article explores how the hibah trust works, reasons why institutions may be offering this hybrid instrument, and potential challenges to …


Equity In Commerce: Too Much And Too Little?, Man Yip Jun 2023

Equity In Commerce: Too Much And Too Little?, Man Yip

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The interaction and clash between equity and commerce have attracted much attention from judges and academics in recent years. Commercial lawyers may complain about equity introducing uncertainty into commercial endeavours and at times, (mis-)applying the ‘moral standards of the vicarage’ to actors in commercial dealings. However, the objections are not directed at all aspects of equity, but are usually addressed to some ‘disfavoured parts of it’, such as the creation of a new obligation or discretionary remedies. On the other hand, from the perspective of equity lawyers, equity’s interplay with commerce may lead to the contractualisation or commercialisation of equitable …


An Example Of Cle Pedagogy From The Singapore Management University, Wing Cheong Chan, Yen Kee Ruby Lee May 2023

An Example Of Cle Pedagogy From The Singapore Management University, Wing Cheong Chan, Yen Kee Ruby Lee

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This session will showcase a course taught at the Singapore Management University where students were tasked to design aone stop online resource portal to help litigants-in-person, caregivers and family members to navigate legal issues related tothe ageing process. During the course, the students not only met with various community partners providing services to theelderly to find out what services were required but also the elderly to find out their positive and negative online experiences.The students were sensitized to the needs of the community, learnt the law through independent research, assessed theusefulness of existing legal resources available, and learnt the importance …


Rethinking Asia-Pacific Regionalism And New Economic Agreements, Julien Chaisse, Pasha L. Hsieh May 2023

Rethinking Asia-Pacific Regionalism And New Economic Agreements, Julien Chaisse, Pasha L. Hsieh

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The neoliberal international order is facing a variety of pressing obstacles. One of the most contentious issues is the emergence of new Asian regionalism, which has been driven by the rising economic power of the region and integration based on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Six framework. The legalization of the ASEAN way has propelled the New Regional Economic Order (NREO), which reinforces a trade-development nexus alternative to the Washington Consensus and will have far-reaching normative, economic, and geopolitical effects on the world. Given the proliferation of trade and investment initiatives including the ASEAN Economic Community and …


Tort Law, Amirthalingam Kumaralingam, Gary Kok Yew Chan May 2023

Tort Law, Amirthalingam Kumaralingam, Gary Kok Yew Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

No abstract provided.


'99-To-1’ Property Deals: Stamp Duty Avoidance Or Honest Mistake, Vincent Ooi Apr 2023

'99-To-1’ Property Deals: Stamp Duty Avoidance Or Honest Mistake, Vincent Ooi

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article explains in detail the legal issues surrounding the recent ABSD audit and how exactly the general anti-avoidance rule and the stamp duty avoidance surcharge in the Stamp Duties Act 1929 can be invoked by the IRAS.The article highlights the fact that it may not be enough for a property buyer to show that the '99-to-1' holding was intended to enable the buyer to qualify for a home loan and not 'for stamp duty avoidance'. The property buyer must be able to answer the additional question of why the transfer of the property is 'staggered' in two stages and …


Falsehoods, Foreign Interference, And Compelled Speech In Singapore, Kenny Chng Mar 2023

Falsehoods, Foreign Interference, And Compelled Speech In Singapore, Kenny Chng

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Online misinformation endangers the infrastructure of fact essential to public discourse and presents an even greater threat where it is being utilised as a weapon by hostile state actors. In recognition of these dangers, Singapore has implemented legal measures to combat online misinformation, enacting in quick succession the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) and the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA). These statutes open up novel frontiers of development for Singapore's free speech jurisprudence. Indeed, these statutes confer upon government authorities the power to compel the authors of certain material to display notices stating that the material contains …


Service Out Under The New Rules Of Court, Ian Mah, Aaron Yoong Mar 2023

Service Out Under The New Rules Of Court, Ian Mah, Aaron Yoong

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The new Rules of Court 2021 seek to provide a more accessible and efficient justice system. The extensiveness of the overhaul, however, brings with it as much unfamiliarity as excitement. This legislation comment examines the changes in the provisions governing service out of jurisdiction and argues that the textual changes also effect substantive changes to how the law is applied. This comment also explores the related issues on the grant of Mareva injunctions in aid of foreign proceedings under the new Rules of Court 2021.


Administrative Concessions And The Efficient Taxation Of Digital Tokens In Singapore, Vincent Ooi Mar 2023

Administrative Concessions And The Efficient Taxation Of Digital Tokens In Singapore, Vincent Ooi

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Tax authorities around the world have stepped-up enforcement activities on the taxation of digital tokens and begun providing more guidance to taxpayers. However, the relative novelty of the field means that there is likely to be considerable uncertainty as to the correct tax treatment, both on the part of taxpayers and tax authorities. This requires both parties to seek tax and legal advice that is often duplicative (in the sense that similar issues tend to keep coming up for different taxpayers) and bear the risk of taking an incorrect legal position. In some cases, the strict tax position under the …


The Coming Central Bank Digital Currency Revolution And The E-Cny, Heng Wang, Ross Buckley Mar 2023

The Coming Central Bank Digital Currency Revolution And The E-Cny, Heng Wang, Ross Buckley

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The only central bank money individuals and businesses have today is cash. Everything else they use as money is commercial bank promises. Central bank digital currencies (“CBDC”) will likely change all this by putting central bank money into everyone’s hands. China is a front runner in this revolution, and its CBDC, the e-CNY, may well in time profoundly affect the international economic order. This article analyses the major considerations around the e-CNY, its ramifications, in particular for trade, and its possible challenges.


The Doctrine Of Unilateral Severance And Its Potential Development In Singapore, Zhi Jia Koh Mar 2023

The Doctrine Of Unilateral Severance And Its Potential Development In Singapore, Zhi Jia Koh

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Co-ownership of land is commonplace in Singapore, and the manner of holding among co-owners has important practical implications. Joint tenants are subject to the rule of survivorship, but what if a joint tenant does not wish to be locked into the survivorship wheel of fortune? A joint tenant may unilaterally sever the joint tenancy by an act operating upon his or her share of the land, but questions remain as to when that occurs and the consequent duration of severance. This article attempts to address these questions with the current alienation-based approach and suggest the possibility of an intention-based approach.


Repeal Of The Recja And Transfer Of Countries To The Refja, Adeline Chong Feb 2023

Repeal Of The Recja And Transfer Of Countries To The Refja, Adeline Chong

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Singapore’s Reciprocal Enforcement of Commonwealth Judgments Act 1921 (‘RECJA’) is based on the UK Administration of Justice Act 1920 and its Reciprocal Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act 1959 (‘REFJA’) is based on the UK Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1933. In 2019, the government amended the REFJA in significant ways (previously detailed here), expanding its scope to include the registration of judgments from non-superior courts of gazetted countries, judicial settlements, non-money judgments and interlocutory judgments. At the same time, the RECJA was repealed from a date to be determined by the government.


A Review Of The 2021/22 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen Feb 2023

A Review Of The 2021/22 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This is the eighth1 annual review of Singapore’s performance in international moot court competitions.2 An overview of the results for this season is presented at Table #1 below, while Tables #2 and #3 provide a snapshot of the results of the past 10 seasons. Despite the substantial lifting of travel restrictions throughout the world, the 2021/22 international moots season remained a virtually conducted one for many competitions, though competitions such as IP, Stetson, PAX, and WTO saw a much-welcomed return to in-person hearings, allowing students to compete and interact with teams and judges from around the world at places such …