Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act

Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act
Old Parliament House, photographed in January 2006
An Act to provide for the maintenance of religious harmony and for establishing a Presidential Council for Religious Harmony and for matters connected therewith.
Citation	Act 26 of 1990; now Cap. 167A, 2001 Rev. Ed.
Enacted by	Parliament of Singapore
Date enacted	9 November 1990
Date assented to	30 November 1990
Date commenced	31 March 1992
Legislative history
Bill	Maintenance of Religious Harmony Bill
Bill citation	Bill No. 14 of 1990
Bill published on	15 June 1990
Introduced by	S. Jayakumar (Minister for Law and Home Affairs)
First reading	12 June 1990
Second reading	18 July 1990
Third reading	9 November 1990
Summary
Empowers Minister for Home Affairs to restrict activities of religious leaders and other persons that threaten religious harmony; or amount to promoting a political cause, carrying out subversive actions, or exciting disaffection against the President or Government under the guise of propagating or practising a religious belief.
Status: In force

The Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act ("MRHA") is a Singapore statute which, according to its long title, provides for the maintenance of religious harmony, for the establishment of a Presidential Council for Religious Harmony ("PCRH"), and for matters connected therewith. The Act, which was passed on 9 November 1990 and came into force on 31 March 1992, empowers the Minister for Home Affairs to make a restraining order against a person who is in a position of authority in any religious group or institution if the Minister is satisfied that the person has committed or is attempting to commit any of the following acts: causing feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different religious groups; or promoting a political cause, carrying out subversive activities, or exciting disaffection against the President or the Government under the guise of propagating or practising a religious belief. A restraining order may also be made against a person who incites, instigates or encourages any religious leader or any religious group or institution to commit the above acts; or a person who is not a religious leader who causes or attempts to cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different religious groups. A restraining order made against a religious leader may direct that he or she must obtain the permission of the Minister before addressing members of any religious group or institution, assisting or contributing to religious publications, or holding office in the editorial board or committee of such publications. Breaching a restraining order is a criminal offence.

The Minister must consult the PCRH before issuing a restraining order, and must inform the Council once an order is made. The Council is responsible for recommending to the President whether an order should be confirmed, cancelled or varied in some manner. If the Council's recommendations are contrary to the Minister's views on the matter, the President may act in his personal discretion in deciding whether to cancel or confirm the order. A restraining order cannot exceed two years in duration, but may be extended for periods not exceeding two years at a time. The Minister must review an order every 12 months or less. The Act declares decisions of the President, the Minister and the Council to be final and not subject to being called in question in any court.