Guns Are Evolving: Singapore Legislates for the Future of Weapons

By Douglas M. Johnson

Singapore is among the countries with the lowest violent crime rates, called by OSAC (the Overseas Security Council), a division of the United States Department of State, “one of the safest cities in the world,” but 3D printing may pose a new and unforeseen issue.[1] One such example of the threat 3D-printed guns pose is illustrated by the 2016 arrest of McGinnis for a possession of a 3D-printed AR-15 assault rifle.[2] Mr. McGinnis had been denied in a attempt to by a firearm shortly before his arrest, due to his name having been flagged by the federal background check system as a “prohibited purchaser.”[3] He was found with a “hit list,” as prosecutors described it, and other documentation indicating his interest in public shootings throughout the United States.[4] In light the potential threat to public safety that 3D-printed guns pose, Singapore’s Parliament recently enacted new legislation which would strengthen and modernize its already strict gun laws.[5]

 On January 5, 2021, Singapore’s Parliament passed a bill, the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021,[6] (the “Weapons Act”) which, among other things, provides for the regulation of a new, and potentially fatal, development in guns.[7] The Weapons Act was assented to by Singapore’s President on February 5, 2021, thus finalizing Singapore’s replacement of prior weapons-related acts including the Arms and Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Dangerous Fireworks Act.[8] The new Weapons Act makes updates to regulations regarding possession and use of traditional forms of weapons, but most notably creates new protections aimed at curtailing against potential gun violence as a result of 3D-printed guns.[9] The highlight of the legislation is that it is now illegal to possess “digital blueprints” of guns without authorization. The Weapons Act does not expressly layout the authorization process as it relates to 3D-printed guns, but it sheds some light in providing the following section:

(1)  A person commits an offence if —

(a) the person possesses a digital blueprint for the manufacture of a gun or a major part of a gun on a 3D printer or on an electronic milling machine; and

(b) the person is not one of the following:

(i) a person granted a licence to manufacture the gun or major part of a gun using a 3D printer or on an electronic milling machine;

(ii) a person exempt from this section under section 87, 88 or 89 in relation to that manufacture of the gun or major part of a gun. (emphasis added) [10]

 As the above shows, there is a limited scope of who may be lawfully able to possess blueprints for a 3D-printed gun, and as such this legislation will have a substantially chilling effect on would-be offenders’ affirmative decisions to go through with obtaining plans.

            The need for protecting against possible gun violence stemming from 3D-printed guns, was universally accepted by lawmakers in Singapore, however, there were concerns as to how the law would be implemented and what its reach would look like from a practical standpoint.[11] To this concern, Singapore’s Parliament and Police have said that they will adopt a “practical and reasonable manner” in their enforcement of the new 3D-printed gun laws.[12] Therefore, the law appears to be poised for a very broad scope of enforcement despite its narrow tailoring.

            Along with Singapore’s Parliament, this author sees very clearly the need for the legislation discussed above. It would be prudent for other governments to take note of what Singapore has done, thus getting ahead of what surely will be a new source of fatal violence in the world.

[1]  Singapore 2020 Crime and Safety Report, OSAC (April 6, 2020), https://www.osac.gov/Country/Singapore/Content/Detail/Report/7f0cc2bc-ba9b-4485-b58b-1861aa0f8fc3.

[2] Jack Date, Texas man sentenced in 3D-printed gun case, had ‘hit list’ of US lawmakers, ABC News (February 14, 2019, 8:22 AM) https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/texas-man-sentenced-3d-printed-gun-case/story?id=60914980.

[3] Id.

[4] Id.

[5] Navene Evangovan, Parliament enacts new law to keep 3D-printed guns off the streets, better regulate weapons, today (Jan. 5, 2021), https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/parliament-enacts-new-law-keep-3d-printed-guns-streets-better-regulate-weapons.

[6]  Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021 (No. 3 of 2021) [GEWC Act] available at https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Acts-Supp/3-2021/Published/20210222?DocDate=20210222.

[7] Evangovan, supra note 2.  

[8] The Weapons Act, in addition to replacing some prior acts, also amended others. The amendments generally raised fines and heightened penalties for existing regulations on arms and explosives. Id.

[9] Id.

[10] GEWC Act, supra note 6 at § 13(1)(a)-(b).

[11] Evangovan, supra note 2.

[12] Evangovan, supra note 2.