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Delegation of Powers Act 1956 (Revised 1988)

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Act 358

DELEGATION OF POWERS

ACT 1956

Incorporating all amendments up to 1 January 2006 PUBLISHED BY

THE COMMISSIONER OF LAW REVISION, MALAYSIA

UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE REVISION OF LAWS ACT 1968 IN COLLABORATION WITH

PERCETAKAN NASIONAL MALAYSIA BHD

2006

2 Laws of Malaysia ACT 358

DELEGATION OF POWERS ACT 1956

First enacted ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1956 (F.M. No. 56 of 1956)

Revised ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1988 (Act 358 w.e.f. 1 December 1988)

PREVIOUS REPRINT

First Reprint ... ... ... ... ... 2001

Delegation of Powers 3

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 358

DELEGATION OF POWERS ACT 1956

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I

INTRODUCTORY

Section

1. Short title and application

2. Interpretation PART II

DELEGATION

3. Power of Yang di-Pertuan Agong to delegate powers and duties

4. (Omitted)

5. Power of Minister to delegate powers and duties by notification in the Gazette

6. Exercise of powers by subordinates of Ministers or Chief Ministers

7. Ratification of acts, orders and directions done by subordinates in the name and on behalf of a Minister or Chief Minister

8. Power of Ruler and Ruler in Council or Yang di-Pertua Negeri in Council to delegate powers and duties

9. Power of Chief Minister to delegate powers and duties by notification in the Gazette

10. (Omitted)

11. No delegation of power to make regulations

12. Exercise of powers notwithstanding delegation 4 Laws of Malaysia ACT 358

PART III

SIGNIFICATION OF ACTS

Section

13. Signification of discretionary acts of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

14. Signification of orders, etc., of, and signing of documents by, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

15. Signification of orders, etc., of, Ruler in Council or Yang di-Pertua Negeri in Council

16. Signification of orders, etc., of, and signing of documents by, a Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri

17. Signification of orders, etc., of, and signing of documents by, a Minister or Chief Minister

18. Signification of orders, etc., and signing of documents by other persons

19. Proclamation and warrant to be under hand of Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri

19A. Existing delegations

PART IV

REPEAL AND VALIDATION

20. Repeal and validations SCHEDULE

Delegation of Powers 5

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 358

DELEGATION OF POWERS ACT 1956

An Act relating to the delegation of certain statutory powers and duties and the signing of certain documents.

[Peninsular Malaysia--20 December 1956, L.N. 359/1956; Sabah and Sarawak--22 October 1964, L.N. 360/1964] PART I

INTRODUCTORY

Short title and application

1. This Act may be cited as the Delegation of Powers Act 1956, and shall have effect throughout Malaysia.

Interpretation

2. (1) For the purposes of Part II the expression "written law" does not include the Federal Constitution.

(2) In this Act "Deputy Minister" means a person who has been appointed to be a Deputy Minister under Article 43A of the Federal Constitution.

PART II

DELEGATION

Power of Yang di-Pertuan Agong to delegate powers and duties

3. Where by any written law the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is empowered to exercise any powers or perform any duties, he may, subject to section 11, by notification in the Gazette, delegate subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed in such notification the exercise of such powers or the performance of such duties to any person described by name or office. 6 Laws of Malaysia ACT 358

4. (Omitted). Power of Minister to delegate powers and duties by notification in the Gazette

5. Where by any written law a Minister is empowered to exercise any powers or perform any duties, he may, subject to section 11, by notification in the Gazette delegate subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed in such notification the exercise of such powers or the performance of such duties to any person described by name or office.

Exercise of powers by subordinates of Ministers or Chief Ministers

6. (1) Subject to section 11 and of any written law expressly to the contrary all acts, orders or directions which could lawfully be done or given, in the exercise of any power or in the performance of any duty conferred or imposed by any written law, by a Minister or the Chief Minister of a State may, subject to any directions given by him be validly and effectually done or given on his behalf and in his name by any officer under his administrative control and expressly or impliedly authorized by him generally or specially thereto or in the case of a Minister be done or given on his behalf and in his name by a Deputy Minister.

(2) A certificate in writing purporting to be under the hand of a Minister or Chief Minister personally that any person was at the material date an officer under his administrative control or that any such officer was expressly or impliedly authorized by him to do or give a certain act, order or direction shall be conclusive evidence of the facts stated in such certificate. Ratification of acts, orders and directions done by subordinates in the name and on behalf of a Minister or Chief Minister

7. Where any act, order or direction has been done or given by any officer in good faith and purporting to act in the name and on behalf of a Minister or the Chief Minister of a State but without being authorized thereto and such act, order or direction could have lawfully been done or given by such officer by virtue of section 6 if he had been so authorized, the Minister or Chief Delegation of Powers 7

Minister, as the case may be, may ratify the doing or giving of such act, order or direction and thereupon the same shall have effect as if at the date on which such act, order or direction was so done or given such officer had been duly authorized thereto: Provided that such ratification shall not have effect to expose any person to any claim for damages or to any penalty, forfeiture or punishment to which he would not have been otherwise exposed in respect of any matter which occurred before the date on which such ratification was brought to his notice or on which written notice of such ratification was first published in the Gazette, whichever was the earlier.

Power of Ruler and Ruler in Council or Yang di-Pertua Negeri in Council to delegate powers and duties

8. Where by any written law the Ruler or Ruler in Council or Yang di-Pertua Negeri in Council of any State is empowered to exercise any powers or perform any duties, he may, subject to section 11, by notification in the Gazette delegate subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed in such notification the exercise of such powers or the performance of such duties to any person described by name or office.

Power of Chief Minister to delegate powers and duties by notification in the Gazette

9. Where by any written law the Chief Minister of any State is empowered to exercise any powers or perform any duties, he may subject to section 11, with the approval of the Ruler or Yang di- Pertua Negeri of such State by notification in the Gazette, delegate subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed in such notification the exercise of such powers or the performance of such duties to any person described by name or office.

10. (Omitted). No delegation of power to make regulations

11. Nothing in this Part shall apply to any power to make regulations conferred upon any person by any written law.

8 Laws of Malaysia ACT 358

Exercise of powers notwithstanding delegation

12. No delegation under this Act of any power or duty shall affect the exercise of such power or the performance of such duty by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Ruler, the Ruler in Council, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri in Council, a Minister or Chief Minister, as the case may be.

PART III

SIGNIFICATION OF ACTS

Signification of discretionary acts of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

13. Where by any written law power is given to the Yang di- Pertuan Agong to act in his discretion, then it shall be sufficient, unless it is otherwise expressed, for such act to be signified under the hand of the Private Secretary to His Majesty, the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal or of such other person as may by notification in the Gazette be designated in that behalf either generally or specially by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Signification of orders, etc., of, and signing of documents by, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

14. Where by any written law other than the written law referred to in section 13 power is given to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to make any regulation or order or give any direction, approval, permission or consent, or where any document is required to be under the hand of, or signed or countersigned by, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, it shall be sufficient, unless it is otherwise expressed, for such regulation, order, direction, approval, permission, consent or document to be signified under the hand of, or signed or countersigned by, a Minister or the Secretary to the Cabinet or such other officer as may by notification in the Gazette be designated in that behalf, either generally or specially, by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Signification of orders, etc., of Ruler in Council or Yang di-Pertua Negeri in Council

15. Where by any written law power is given to the Ruler in Council or Yang di-Pertua Negeri in Council of any State to make any regulation or order or give any direction, approval, permission Delegation of Powers 9

or consent it shall be sufficient, unless it is otherwise expressed, for such regulation, direction, approval, permission or consent to be signified under the hand of the Clerk of the State Executive Council or such other person as may by notification in the Gazette be designated in that behalf either generally or specially by the Ruler in Council or Yang di-Pertua Negeri in Council of such State.

Signification of orders, etc., of, and signing of documents by, a Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri

16. Where by any written law any power is given to the Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri of any State to make any regulation or order or give any direction, approval, permission or consent or where any document is required by any such law to be under the hand of, or signed or countersigned by, the Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri of any State, it shall be sufficient, unless it is otherwise expressed, for such regulation, order, direction, approval, permission, consent or document to be signified under the hand of, or signed or countersigned by, the Chief Minister of such State. Signification of orders, etc., of, and signing of documents by, a Minister or Chief Minister

17. (1) Where by any written law power is given to a Minister or the Chief Minister of a State to make any regulation or order or give any direction, approval, permission or consent, or where any document is required to be under the hand of, or signed or countersigned by, such Minister, Chief Minister it shall be sufficient, unless it is otherwise expressed, for such regulation, order, direction, approval, permission, consent or document to be signified under the hand of, or signed or countersigned by, any officer under the administrative control or direction of such Minister or Chief Minister as the case may be and expressly or impliedly authorized by him by name or office in that behalf or in the case of a Minister under the hand of or signed or countersigned by a Deputy Minister. (2) A certificate in writing purporting to be under the hand of the Minister or Chief Minister personally that any person was at the material date an officer under his administrative control or that any such officer was expressly or impliedly authorized by him to signify, sign or countersign a certain regulation, order, direction, approval, permission, consent or document shall be conclusive evidence of the facts stated in such certificate. 10 Laws of Malaysia ACT 358

(3) Where any such regulation, order, direction, approval, permission, consent or document has been signified, signed or countersigned by any officer not authorized in that behalf the Minister or Chief Minister concerned as the case may be may ratify such signification, signature or countersignature and thereupon the same shall have effect as if at the date on which such signification, signature or countersignature was effected or affixed by such officer he had been duly authorized thereto.

Signification of orders, etc., and signing of documents by other persons

18. (1) Without prejudice to the generality of section 17, where, by any written law, power is given to any of the persons mentioned in the first column of the Schedule to make any regulation or order or give any direction, approval, permission or consent, or where any document is required to be under the hand of, or signed by such person it shall be sufficient, unless it is otherwise expressed, for such regulation, order, direction, approval, permission, consent or document to be signified under the hand of, or signed or countersigned by, the person mentioned in the second column of the said Schedule or such officer as may be designated in that behalf, either generally or specially, by the person mentioned in the first column of the said Schedule by notification in the Gazette. (2) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong may, after reference to the Ruler in Council or Yang di-Pertua Negeri in Council of any State concerned, by order, delete from, vary, or add to the said Schedule. Proclamation and warrant to be under hand of Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri

19. Nothing in this Act shall authorize the issue of any proclamation or warrant except under the hand of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or of the Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri of any State himself. Existing delegations

19A. Any delegation made by the High Commissioner or Chief Secretary under this Act, including any delegation made by the High Commissioner or Chief Secretary and continued in force by this Act, shall have effect as if the same had been made on 31 August 1957 to the person described therein by name or office: Delegation of Powers 11

Provided that any delegation so made to the Chief Secretary shall have effect as if the same had been made by the Yang di- Pertuan Agong to the Minister charged with responsibility for the matters to which the delegated power relates.

PART IV

REPEAL AND VALIDATION

Repeal and validations

20. (1) The Delegation of Powers Ordinance 1952 [Ord. 75 of 1952], is repealed:

Provided that any delegation made or continued in force under the Delegation of Powers Ordinance 1952, shall be deemed to have been made under this Act and shall continue in force until revoked or superseded by notification under this Act.

(2) Any regulation, order, direction, approval, permission, consent or document made by the High Commissioner in Council or the Ruler in Council of any State before the coming into force of this Act, signified under the hand of, or signed or countersigned by, the person for the time being performing the duties of clerk of the Federal Executive Council, a State Executive Council or the Settlement Executive Council of a Settlement, as the case may be, shall be deemed to have been validly signified, signed or 2 countersigned.

12 Laws of Malaysia ACT 358

SCHEDULE

[Section 18]

(1) (2)

Chief Secretary Deputy Chief Secretary

Minister Secretary to Minister

Menteri Besar Deputy Menteri Besar

State Secretary

Resident Commissioner Settlement Secretary

Delegation of Powers 13

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 358

DELEGATION OF POWERS ACT 1956

LIST OF AMENDMENTS

Amending law Short title In force from

L.N. (N.S.) 1/1957 Federal Constitution (Modification 31-08-1957 of Laws) Order 1957

L.N. (N.S.) 56/1957 Corrigendum to L.N. (N.S.) 1/1957 31-10-1957 Act 5/1960 Assistant Ministers Act 1960 13-10-1959 Act A31 Constitution (Amendment) 24-03-1971

(No. 2) Act 1971

Act A354 Constitution (Amendment) 27-08-1976

Act 1976

Act 237 Members of Parliament 01-07-1980

(Remuneration) Act 1980

P.U. (A) 253/1989 Revision of Laws (Delegation of 01-12-1988 Powers) Order 1989

14 Laws of Malaysia ACT 358

LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 358

DELEGATION OF POWERS ACT 1956

LIST OF SECTIONS AMENDED

Section Amending authority In force from

Effective date P.U. (A) 253/1989 01-12-1988

2 Act 5/1960 13-10-1959

Act A31 24-03-1971

Act 237 01-07-1980

6 Act A31 24-03-1971

8 Act A354 27-08-1976

9 Act A354 27-08-1976

12 Act A354 27-08-1976

15 Act A354 27-08-1976

16 Act A354 27-08-1976

17 Act A31 24-03-1971

18 Act A354 27-08-1976

19 Act A354 27-08-1976

Throughout the L.N (N.S.) 1/1957 31-08-1957

Act L.N (N.S.) 56/1957 31-10-1957

DICETAK OLEH

PERCETAKAN NASIONAL MALAYSIA BERHAD,

KUALA LUMPUR

BAGI PIHAK DAN DENGAN PERINTAH KERAJAAN MALAYSIA