Quora Answer: Are Guns Legal in Singapore?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Are guns legal in Singapore, and if so, what guns are allowed to be possessed by citizens, and is it legal to use the guns for self-defense?”

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to be a gun owner in Singapore.  However, the gun must be used for sport, including hunting.  You must belong to a gun club, which is the place that keeps the gun.  And you have to fulfill a very strict criteria, including being above 18 years of age, no criminal records, and be a member of society in good standing.  The application process is onerous, and that applies to renewal of the license as well.

There is no context where a gun may be used for self-defense, unless it is discharged by a member of the police or armed forces in the line of duty.  And even that, the shooter will be investigated. For example, the police, as per the PGO and PPPO, must follow a set of rules of engagement where shooting is a suspect is the absolute last resort, where the life of the officer or any member of the public is in immediate danger.  It is a lot more disciplined than the cowboys in American law enforcement, who would shoot at their own shadows when they fart.

Singapore’s gun control laws are, perhaps, the strictest in the world, and cover the Arms and Explosives Act , Cap 13; and the Arms Offences Act, Cap 14.  In summary, the possession of a weapon is punishable with mandatory jail and caning.  The firing of a weapon, regardless of whether there is a casualty carries the death penalty.  Having more than two weapons is treated as arms trafficking, which carries heavy penalties, from life imprisonment up to the death penalty.  In all cases, the accomplices are liable to the same penalties, guilt by association.  These penalties also apply to ownership of the firing mechanism of the gun, from the bolt to even the firing pin.  This also applies to the possession of even a single bullet.  As such, in a region awash with guns, gun crimes, like any major crime, is exceedingly rare in Singapore.