Much Ado About Nothing? The Enigma of Engagement of Foreign Constitutional Law in Singapore

Publication Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

7-2016

Abstract

Students of Singapore constitutional law are familiar with the 'four walls doctrine' in constitutional interpretation. Put simply, when interpreting the Singapore Constitution and public law statutes, and in development Singapore constitutional jurisprudence, Singapore courts should confine themselves within the four walls of the Constitution. At first blush, this suggests that legal developments outside of Singapore, especially judicial decisions of the courts of other jurisdictions facing similar constitutional issues, have little value - whether illustrative or didactic. Unlike the willingness to consider, adapt and apply foreign jurisprudence in commercial law matters, the Singapore courts have been cautious and, at times, even resistant to foreign jurisprudence in the public law sphere. This chapter examines the Singapore courts' evolving approach to and treatment of foreign law in the constitutional realm.

Keywords

Singapore, constitution, constitutional jurisprudence

Discipline

Asian Studies | Constitutional Law

Publication

Constitutional Interpretation in Singapore: Theory and Practice

Editor

Jaclyn L. Neo

First Page

289

Last Page

317

ISBN

9781138914483

Publisher

Routledge

City or Country

Oxford

Additional URL

https://worldcat.org/isbn/9781138914483

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