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est. 2023 · baked daily, no holidays
THE WEEKLY BAKE · W26
22–28 JUN 2026
118 cookies this week

the week's batch
cooled & sorted

Seven days of Singapore legal signal, with the patterns that rose out of it.

★ THE WEEKLY BAKE ★

WEEKW26 · 2026
DATES22–28 JUN 2026
DAYS BAKED5/7
○ NEWS82
⬡ JUDGMENTS36
▲ PINEAPPLE TARTS20
FRESH85
COOLING RACK13
BUSIEST OVENPUBLIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW ×22
NEW INGREDIENT"COMPETITION ACT 2004"

thank you — fresh batch every week

WEEK IN REVIEW

a week's worth, tray by tray

The Week in Days

each morning's bake — tap a day for the full tray

MON 22 58 cookies TUE 23 14 cookies WED 24 6 cookies THU 25 30 cookies FRI 26 10 cookies SAT 27 rested SUN 28 rested

red dot = a pineapple tart came out that day

This Week's Specials

the pineapple tarts — the signals worth acting on
01MON · ○ NEWS

ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) to establish common rules for cross-border data flows

Following the conclusion of negotiations in May, the DEFA is expected to be signed in November. The agreement aims to create common rules for digital trade and support trusted cross-border data flows to reduce regulatory fragmentation for companies operating across the 11 ASEAN member states.

Why it mattersThe agreement may reduce the legal burden of navigating disparate national data laws for companies scaling their operations within the region.

SLW READ SOURCE ↗
02MON · ○ NEWS

Authorities may now suspend sales for future unlaunched projects of errant developers.

New safeguards allow for the suspension of sales activities regarding a developer's future projects that have not yet been launched to the market.

Why it mattersLawyers advising developers must note that regulatory breaches can lead to the freezing of project launches and critical delays in revenue realization.

SLW READ SOURCE ↗
03MON · ○ NEWS

Enhanced safeguards introduced for 'Selected Clients' transacting in complex products.

Clients meeting two of three criteria (age 62+, non-English proficiency, or low academic qualifications) are deemed 'Selected Clients'. They must receive full financial advice for complex products on execution-only platforms unless they pass the CKA and formally opt out.

Why it mattersFIs must implement strict identification and documentation processes for Selected Clients to avoid regulatory breaches.

SLW READ SOURCE ↗
04MON · ⬡ JUDGMENT

High Court applies the Syed Suhail test to reject constitutional equality claim in Ong Cheng Cheng v AG [2026] SGHC 130

The applicant alleged a breach of her Article 12(1) right to equality following the discontinuation of a private prosecution. Applying the Syed Suhail test, the court held that the applicant failed to establish a prima facie case because she did not provide evidence of being treated differently from equally situated persons, noting that a cited comparator was unsuitable due to material differences in the nature of the relationship and injuries.

Why it mattersTo succeed on an equality claim under Article 12(1), a claimant must demonstrate differential treatment compared to a suitable comparator who is similarly situated.

JUDICIARY READ JUDGMENT ↗
05MON · ⬡ JUDGMENT

High Court clarifies that assets liquidated without consent should be notionally added back at the time of liquidation [2026] SGHCF 19

The court addressed how to value assets that have been liquidated or dissipated before the ancillary matters hearing. It held that for such assets, the value should be notionally added back into the matrimonial pool at the time of liquidation rather than using a later valuation date to prevent the recipient from benefiting from subsequent market growth after their disengagement from the asset.

Why it mattersPractitioners should advise clients that liquidating assets without consent may result in a notional add-back at the historical price, potentially losing out on subsequent market appreciation.

JUDICIARY READ JUDGMENT ↗
06MON · ⬡ JUDGMENT

High Court holds in Lin Tze Kin v Tan Yen Lin Alice [2026] SGHC 129 that claims regarding FEP Units are not time-barred under the Limitation Act as the defendant was a Class 1 constructive trustee.

The claimants sought an account of their deceased mother's interest in certain property units. The court held that the claims were not barred by the Limitation Act because the defendant acted as a Class 1 constructive trustee who dealt with property in breach of trust, and alternatively, the claim involved fraud/fraudulent breach of trust under s 22(1)(a).

Why it mattersPractitioners should note that claims against Class 1 constructive trustees are not subject to the standard limitation periods applicable to ordinary negligence or contract claims.

JUDICIARY READ JUDGMENT ↗
07MON · ⬡ JUDGMENT

High Court holds in Shaw Towers Realty (Pte) Ltd v Chief Assessor [2026] SGHC 131 that decisions on pre-hearing procedural matters are not appealable under s 35(1) of the PTA

The Appellant sought to appeal a Valuation Review Board (VRB) decision which dismissed its application to amend a notice of appeal. The Court held that 'the decision' referred to in s 35(1) of the Property Tax Act must be interpreted as a decision on a substantive property tax appeal, and thus procedural rulings do not fall within the High Court's appellate jurisdiction.

Why it mattersPractitioners should note that interlocutory or pre-hearing procedural decisions by the VRB may not be amenable to appeal under the statutory framework of the PTA.

JUDICIARY READ JUDGMENT ↗
08MON · ⬡ JUDGMENT

High Court sets aside unlawful means conspiracy claim in Lo Yew Seng v Astrawati Aluwi [2026] SGHC(A) 18 for failure to plead specific roles and lack of intent to injure

The claim failed because the respondent did not plead the specific role and participation of every alleged conspirator, and there was insufficient evidence of a shared intention to injure the respondent. The court found the scheme's purpose was to raise funds rather than to cause injury as an end or means to an end.

Why it mattersTo succeed in unlawful means conspiracy, a claimant must plead the specific role and participation of every conspirator and establish an intention to injure the claimant.

JUDICIARY READ JUDGMENT ↗
09MON · ○ NEWS

ISSB reporting standards mandate absolute financed emissions disclosures for STI constituents from FY2025

The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards, mandated by the Singapore Exchange (SGX), require Straits Times Index (STI) constituents to disclose absolute financed emissions where material. Lenders must provide breakdowns by industry and asset class, although some banks are currently utilizing transitional reliefs.

Why it mattersLawyers advising STI-listed banks must ensure compliance with these mandatory reporting frameworks and oversee the implementation of the required sectoral breakdowns.

SLW READ SOURCE ↗
10MON · ○ NEWS

New Code of Practice on Coastal Protection mandates sea-level defenses for coastal landowners.

Effective from 2028, coastal landowners and leaseholders must implement protection measures based on their lease duration: those with 30+ years must plan for a 2.15m rise by 2150, while those with less than 30 years must prepare for a 0.7m rise by 2050. The framework allows for either a single-step installation or incremental builds, with a requirement that structures last 120 years.

Why it mattersAffected clients—primarily industrial operators in ports, shipyards, and manufacturing—face statutory obligations to build coastal defenses or risk fines and imprisonment.

SLW READ SOURCE ↗
11MON · ○ NEWS

New frameworks introduced to disqualify errant developers from residential land sales.

The authorities have established a mechanism to bar developers who engage in misconduct from participating in land sales for sites that include residential components.

Why it mattersDevelopers may face significant commercial restrictions and lose access to residential land acquisition opportunities due to regulatory non-compliance.

SLW READ SOURCE ↗
12TUE · ○ NEWS

IMDA Act amended to expand approval requirements for media sector ownership changes.

The Info-communications Media Development Authority (Amendment) Bill expands the scope of transactions requiring prior IMDA approval. Approval is now required for any person acquiring 30% or more equity/voting power, gaining effective control, or taking over a regulated person's media business as a going concern.

Why it mattersLawyers advising on M&A in the media sector must now account for a broader trigger for mandatory regulatory approval regardless of whether the acquirer is itself a regulated person.

SLW READ SOURCE ↗

+ 8 more pineapple tarts this week — find them in the daily trays.

What Rose to the Top

the areas and doctrine that ran through the week — see them spread on the counter map

Busiest Ovens areas of law
○Public and Administrative Law×22 ○Real Property Law×19 ○Banking Law×12 ○Contract Law×12 ○Securities and Financial Instruments Law×12 ○Corporate Law×9 ○Bankruptcy, Insolvency, and Restructuring Law×8 ○Personal Injury and Tort Law×8 ○Criminal Law×7 ○Matrimonial Law×7 ○Negligence and Malpractice Law×6 ○Privacy Law×6
Recurring Doctrine shared this week
◆Duty of Care×5 ◆Attractive Nuisance×3 ◆Clawback Provision Clause×3 ◆Condition Precedent Clause×3 ◆Insurance Policy×3 ◆Motion for Extension of Time Regarding Transcript×3 ◆AI Governance×2 ◆Age×2