ST Explains What are gazetted areas? Which are you not allowed to enter?

A man was hospitalized after he suffered a gunshot wound to his lower back while cycling with his friends in a restricted area between the Upper Seletar and Upper Peirce reservoirs on June 15.

- Lok Jian Wen

At the time of the incident, the man was about 2.3km away from a military range in Nee Soon, where an authorized live-firing activity was taking place.

Mindef said in a June 16 statement that under the Military Manoeuvres Act (MMA), "unauthorised persons are not allowed to enter gazetted areas designated for SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) live firing in consideration of their own safety".

Here is what you need to know about restricted areas in Singapore.

WHAT ARE GAZETTED AREAS?

In Singapore, an area can be recognized, or gazetted, by the Government for purposes such as conservation, public safety and national security.

In the case of the cyclist who got hit, he had entered a restricted forest area specified by Mindef for firing practices or military manoeuvres.

Mindef has the authority to declare areas for such purposes under the MMA, said LIMN Law Corporation managing director John Lim, an expert in land law. The ministry may also declare that such areas are no longer used for such military purposes.

Other than military uses, areas may also be gazetted for the purposes of preserving the appearance of an area under the Planning Act, or tree conservation under the Parks and Trees Act, among others.

These would be published in the Government Gazette, an official public record that is available online.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF GAZETTED AREAS IN SINGAPORE?