Singapore updates personal data regulations

The regulations, which came into effect on 23 January 2015, cover procedures for the issuing and handling of appeals brought under section 34(1) of the Personal Data Protection Act 2012, No. 26 of 2012 (PDPA), which entered into force in 2014.

Under the PDPA, an appeal is made to the chairman of the Data Protection Appeal Panel (Appeal Panel), who may nominate a Data Protection Appeal Committee (Appeal Committee) to hear the appeal. The Seventh Schedule to the PDPA, which sets out the constitution and proceedings of the Appeal Panel and the Appeal Committee, has also been amended pursuant to the Personal Data Protection (Amendment of Seventh Schedule) Order 2015, which also came into effect on 23 January 2015.

Under the regulations, the Appeal Committee may also give directions to protect the confidentiality of any information or document relating to any appeal proceedings. Contravention of the Appeal Committee’s directions would be an offence, punishable on conviction of a fine of up to USD 1,500, six months’ imprisonment or both.

Matters coming before an Appeal Committee will be decided by a majority of votes of those members present, with the presiding member of the Appeal Committee having a casting vote.