Does the ‘basic structure doctrine' apply in Singapore’s Constitution?

This chapter examines the roots of the Westminster model matrix from its origins in the Privy Council decisions of the 1960s and 1970s. It examines its application to Singapore through the 1980 appeal of Ong Ah Chuan v Public Prosecutor, which formally established the matrix which the courts now use for interpreting the Singapore Constitution. The chapter argues that despite having been independent for half a century, Singapore courts still assiduously adopt the Westminster model and its attendant matrix, and that this directly impacts the way in which judges interpret the constitution. It considers two cases that involved an interpretation of the Westminster constitution's structural form what the Singapore courts have called the 'basic structure' of the constitution. The chapter concludes by the case of Vellama d/o Marie Muthu v Attorney-General, where the Court of Appeal was invited to probe beyond the structural matrix of Singapore's Constitution and considers if there was a constitutional right to vote.