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LAWS OF BRUNEI
CHAPTER 187
SECURITY AGENCIES
S 11/99
REVISED EDITION 2000
(30th December 2000)
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Section
1. Citation.
2. Interpretation.
3. Act not applicable to certain persons.
4. Appointment of licensing officer.
5. No person to carry on the business of a security guard agencywithout a licence.
6. Application for licence.
7. Annual licence fee.
8. Display of licence.
9. Revocation of licence.
10. Effect of revocation of licence.
11. Employees of a security guard agency.
12. Employees to submit statements.
13. Identification papers.
14. Unlicensed security guard agency not to recover fees.
15. Furnishing incorrect particulars in application.
16. Carrying truncheons etc. in public places.
17. Power to search premises.
18. Power to arrest.
19. Power to investigate.
20. Powers of licensing officer.
21. Obstruction of search etc.
22. Offence.
23. General penalty.
24. Liability of directors, partners etc.
25. Power to make regulations.
26. Saving.
_______________________
SECURITY AGENCIES ACT
An Act to provide for the licensing and control of those persons who carry on the business of or act as security guard agency and for purposes connected therewith
Commencement:1st June 2000
[S 34/2000]
Citation.
1. This Act may be cited as the Security Agencies Act.
Interpretation.
2. (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
“company” means —
(a) a company incorporated pursuant to the Companies Act (Chapter 39) or pursuant to any corresponding previous law; or
(b) a company or other body incorporated outside Brunei Darussalam;
“licence” means a security guard agency’s licence, grantedunder this Act;
“licensee” means the holder of a licence;
“licensing officer” means the licensing officer appointed undersection 4 and includes an assistant licensing officer appointed under thatsection;
“Minister” means the Minister for the time being designated byHis Majesty the Sultan andYang Di-Pertuan to be responsible for internalsecurity;
“security guard” includes any watchman or other person engaged in work for the protection of persons or property or to prevent the theft or the unlawful taking of property;
“security guard agency’s licence” means a licence grantedunder this Act authorising the holder to carry on the business of asecurity guard agency.
(2) For the purposes of this Act, a person shall be deemed to be carrying on the business of a security guard agency if he furnishes or advertises or notifies or states that he is willing to furnish or in any way holds himself out to the public as ready to furnish security guards for the protection of persons or property or to prevent the theft or the unlawful taking of property for or in consideration of any payment or other remuneration (whether monetary or otherwise).
Act not applicable to certain persons.
3. (1) This Act shall not be construed as requiring —
(a) any member of the Royal Brunei Police Force in theexercise of his functions as a police officer;
(b) any member of the Royal Brunei Armed Force in theexercise of his functions as such member;
(c) any officer or employee of the Government in the exercise of hisfunctions as such officer or employee; and
(d) any Auxiliary Police Force created under the provisions of theRoyal Brunei Police Force Act (Chapter 50) or any officer or employeethereof in the exercise of his functions as such officer or employee,
to hold a licence.
(2) This Act shall not be construed as requiring any inspector, guard,watchman, or other person employed to do inspecting, guarding or watching workfor one employer only in respect of inspecting, guarding or watching work donefor that employer for the protection of persons or property or arising outof the functions or business exercised or carried on by that employer tohold a security guard agency’s licence.
Appointment of licensing officer.
4. (1) The Minister may appoint a public officer by name or office to be the licensing officer and may also appoint from public officers such number of assistant licensing officers as he may consider necessary for the purposes of this Act.
(2) The licensing officer shall be responsible generally for carrying outthe provisions of this Act and for the collection of fees.
No person to carry on the business of a security guard agency without alicence.
5. (1) No person shall carry on the business of a security guardagency unless he is the holder of a security guard agency’s licence.
(2) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with subsection
(1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a finenot exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or toboth.
Application for licence.
6. (1) Any person who desires to obtain a licence shall makean application in the prescribed form to the licensing officer for the grant ofa licence.
(2) Upon receiving any application under subsection (1), the licensingofficer shall consider the application and may grant a licence, with or withoutconditions, or refuse to grant a licence.
(3) The licensing officer shall refuse to grant a licence if —
(a) satisfactory evidence has not been produced of the good fameand character of the applicant or, if the applicant is a company, of itsofficers holding managerial or executive positions;
(b) satisfactory evidence has not been produced to show that theapplicant is a fit and proper person to hold a licence; or
(c) the applicant has been convicted of any offence involving fraud or moral turpitude or, if the applicant is a company, any of its officers holding a managerial or an executive position has been convicted of any offence involving fraud or moral turpitude.
(4) The licensing officer may at any time vary or revoke any of theexisting conditions of a licence or impose conditions or additional conditionsthereto.
(5) The licensing officer shall, prior to taking any action undersubsection (4), notify his intention to take such action to the licensee concerned and shall give the licensee an opportunity to submit reasonswhy the conditions of his licence should not be so varied or revoked.
(6) Where a licence is subject to conditions the licensee shall comply withthose conditions.
(7) Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of the licensing officer under this section may, within one month of being notified of the decisionof the licensing officer, appeal against his decision to the Minister whosedecision shall be final.
Annual licence fee.
7. Every licensee shall pay such annual licence fee as may beprescribed.
Display of licence.
8. (1) Every licensee shall exhibit his licence or a certified copyin a conspicuous place at his principal place of business and at every branch where the licensee carries on the business of a security guardagency.
(2) Any person —
(a) who contravenes or fails to comply with subsection (1); or
(b) who not being the holder of a licence keeps up or exhibits on ornear his office, house or place of business or exhibits anywhere or allows to remain unobliterated any sign, writing, painting or other mark implying thatsuch office, house or place of business is that of a person licensed to carry onthe business of a security guard agency,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.
Revocation of licence.
9. (1) The licensing officer may by order revoke a licence—
(a) if he is satisfied that the licensee —
(i) has ceased to carry on the business for which he has been licensedor, if the licensee being a company, goes into liquidation or is wound up orotherwise dissolved;
(ii) improperly obtained his licence contrary to the provisions of thisAct;
(iii) is no longer a fit and proper person to continue to hold alicence;
(iv) has been convicted of any offence involving dishonest or moralturpitude or, if the licensee is a company, any of its officers holding a managerial or an executive position has been convicted of any offence involvingfraud or moral turpitude;
(v) is carrying on or has carried on the business of a securityguard agency, in such a manner as renders him unfit to continue to hold alicence;
(vi) is contravening or has contravened any of the provisions ofthis Act; or
(vii) has been convicted of any offence under this Act or the regulations made thereunder or, if the licensee is a company, any of its officers holdinga managerial or an executive position has been convicted of any offence underthis Act or the regulations made thereunder; or
(b) if he considers it in the public interest to do so.
(2) The licensing officer shall, before revoking any licence under subsection (1), give the person concerned notice in writing of his intention to do so, specifying a date, not less than 21 days after the date of the notice, upon which the revocation shall take effect and calling upon the person concerned to show cause to the licensing officer why the licence should not be revoked.
(3) When the licensing officer has revoked a licence undersubsection (1) he shall forthwith inform the person concerned by notice inwriting of such revocation.
(4) The person whose licence has been revoked may, within 14 days of thereceipt of the notice referred to in subsection (3), or such extended periodof time as the Minister may allow, appeal in writing against therevocation to the Minister whose decision shall be final.
(5) An order of revocation shall not take effect until the expiration of aperiod of 14 days after the licensing officer has informed the licenseeconcerned of the order.
(6) If within that period the licensee concerned gives due notice of appealto the Minister the order shall not take effect unless the order isconfirmed by the Minister or the appeal is for any reason dismissed by theMinister.
Effect of revocation of licence.
10. (1) Where an order of revocation becomes effective under section9, the licensee concerned shall cease to carry on the business of a securityguard agency.
(2) Subsection (1) shall not prejudice the enforcement by any person of any right or claim against the licensee concerned or by the licenseeconcerned of any right or claim against any person arising out of orconcerning any matter or thing done prior to the revocation of the licence.
Employees of a security guard agency
11. (1) A person who is the holder of a security guardagency’s licence may, in the conduct of his business, employ as manypersons as he may consider necessary to be security guards and shall at alltimes during such employment be legally responsible for the good conduct in thebusiness of each and every person so employed.
(2) A person who is the holder of a security guard agency’s licenceshall not employ as a security guard any person —
(a) who has been convicted of any offence involving dishonesty or moral turpitude; or
(b) who is, in the opinion of the licensing officer not a fit and proper person to be employed as a security guard in the business of a security guard agency.
(3) A person whose application for a security guard agency’s licencehas been refused shall not participate or be in any way concerned in thebusiness of a licensed security guard agency.
Employees to submit statements.
12. (1) No person shall be employed by a licensee to assist in thework of a security guard until he has submitted to the licensing officerin the prescribed form a statement containing such personal particulars andother information as are prescribed.
(2) Any person who in the form submitted to the licensing officer pursuantto subsection (1) makes any statement which is not correct or furnishes anyparticular which is not correct or knowingly omits to furnish any particularwhich is required to be furnished shall be guilty of an offence and shall beliable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.
Identification papers.
13. (1) Every licensee shall provide and issue to his employees, whoare employed to assist in the work of a security guard, identification papers insuch form and containing such particulars as may be prescribed.
(2) Every person employed by a licensee to assist in the work of a securityguard shall at all times carry the identification paper issued by his employer and produce the identification papers for inspection when so required by thelicensing officer or any police officer duly authorised by the licensing officerand shall surrender the identification papers to his employer when he ceases tobe employed as such.
Unlicensed security guard agency not to recover fees.
14. No person shall be entitled to bring any proceeding in any court to recover any commission, fee, gain or reward for any service done or performed by him as a security guard agency at the time of doing or performing such service unless he was the holder of a security guard agency’s licence, as the case may be, at the time of doing or performing such service.
Furnishing incorrect particulars in application.
15. Any person who in any application for a licence makes anystatement which is not correct in any material particular shall be guilty of anoffence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.
Carrying truncheons etc. in public places.
16. (1) Any person who in any public place carries or has in his possession or under his control any truncheon, handcuffs, or such other weapon or equipment as may be from time to time specified by the Minister in a notification in the Gazette , otherwise than with lawful authority shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to both.
(2) A truncheon, handcuffs or such weapon or equipment as may be specifiedunder subsection (1) shall be presumed to be carried with lawful authority ifit is carried by a member of the Royal Brunei Police Force or of the RoyalBrunei Armed Forces or of any visiting force lawfully present in BruneiDarussalam under any law relating to visiting forces.
(3) The licensing officer may, in each case by an order in writing andsubject to such conditions as he may impose, exempt any person or class ofpersons from subsection (1).
(4) Where any exemption given by the licensing officer pursuant tosubsection (3) is subject to conditions imposed by the licensing officer, theexemption shall cease to be in force when any of the conditions is notcomplied with.
(5) For the purposes of this section, “public place”includes any premises or place to which the public has or is permitted to have access, whether on the invitation of the owners or occupiers thereof or onpayment or otherwise.
Power to search premises.
17. The licensing officer, on being satisfied upon any information and after any inquiry which he thinks necessary that there is good reason to believe that any place is used for the carrying on of the business of a security guard agency by a person who is not the holder of a licence, may by warrant or writing under his hand authorise any person therein named or any police officer, with such assistance and by such force as is necessary, by day or by night, to enter or go to that place and to search the place and all persons found therein, and to seize all documents and things reasonably supposed to have been used or intended to be used in connection with the business of a security guard agency which are found in that place or on those persons, and also to detain all those persons until they and the place have been searched.
Power to arrest.
18. (1) The licensing officer and any police officer dulyauthorised in writing in that behalf by the licensing officer may withoutwarrant arrest any person whom he reasonably suspects to have committed anoffence under this Act.
(2) The licensing officer and any police officer duly authorised inwriting by the licensing officer arresting a person under subsection (1) maysearch such person and take possession of all articles found upon him whichthere is reason to believe were used in connection with the offence:
Provided that no female shall be search except by a female.
(3) Every person so arrested shall be taken to a police station.
Power to investigate.
19. In any case relating to the commission of an offence under this Act, the licensing officer and any police officer duly authorised in writing in that behalf by the licensing officer may exercise all or any of the special powers in relation to seizable offences given by the Criminal Procedure Code (Chapter 7).
Powers of licensing officer.
20. The licensing officer and any police officer duly authorised inwriting in that behalf by the licensing officer shall, for the purposes of theexecution of this Act, have power to do all or any of the following —
(a) to enter, inspect and examine by day or by night the place of business of every licensee;
(b) to require the production of records, accounts anddocuments kept by a licensee and to inspect, examine and copy any of them;
(c) to make such inquiry as may be necessary to ascertainwhether the provisions of this Act are complied with so far as regards anyperson employed by a licensee to assist in the work of a security guard.
Obstruction of search etc.
21. Any person who —
(a) refuses the licensing officer or any police officer authorisedto enter or search, access to any place;
(b) assaults, obstructs, hinders or delays him in effecting anyentrance which he is entitled to effect under this Act, or in theexecution of any duty imposed or power conferred by this Act;
(c) fails to comply with any lawful demand of the licensingofficer or a police officer in the execution of his duty under this Act; or
(d) refuses or neglects to give any information which mayreasonably be required of him and which he has it in his power to give,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine notexceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or toboth.
Offence.
22. Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this Act shall be guilty of an offence.
General penalty
23. Any person who is guilty of an offence for which no penalty is expressly provided by this Act shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.
Liability of directors, partners etc.
24. (1) Where an offence under this Act has been committed bya company, any person, who at the time of the commission of the offence was adirector, secretary, manager or other officer of the company or who waspurporting to act in any such capacity, shall be deemed to be guilty of thatoffence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordinglyunless he proves that the offence was committed without his consent orconnivance and that he exercised such diligence to prevent the commission of theoffence as he ought to have exercised having regard to the nature of hisfunction in that capacity and to all the circumstances.
(2) Any person who would have been guilty of an offence if anythinghad been done or omitted to be done by him personally shall be guilty of theoffence and shall be liable to the same penalty if that thing had been done oromitted to be done by his partner, agent or servant in the course of partnershipbusiness or in the course of his employment, as the case may be, unless heproves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or consent and thathe took all reasonable precautions to prevent the doing or omission to do suchthing.
(3) Nothing in subsection (2) shall relieve any partner, agent orservant from any liability for an offence.
Power to make regulations.
25. The Minister may, with the approval of His Majesty the Sultan andYang Di-Pertuan, make regulations generally for the carrying out of theprovisions of this Act and, without prejudice to such general power may,make regulations for all or any of the following purposes —
(a) prescribing the information and documents to be furnished by anapplicant for a licence;
(b) the taking and recording of photographs and fingerprints orpersons applying for a licence and of every person employed by alicensee;
(c) prescribing the form of a licence or the identification papersissued pursuant to section 13;
(d) prescribing the uniform, badge or emblem to be worn by the employees of a licensee;
(e) prohibiting the use of any equipment and accountrement by alicensee and his employees;
(f) regulating the activities of a licensee and prescribing themanner in which the business of a licensee shall be conducted;
(g) the exemption of any class of persons from the operation of thisAct; and
(h) providing for all matters stated or required in this Act to beprescribed.
Saving.
26. (1) The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of the provisions of any other written law.
(2) Nothing in this Act —
(a) shall be construed as conferring on a licensee or hisemployees any of the powers which by any written law are conferred upon andexercisable by a police officer, customs officer, immigration officer, prisonofficer or any other public officer; and
(b) shall authorise a licensee or his employees to do an actwhich is unlawful or illegal by virtue of any written law.
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