meta_id 3039454

On 6 April 2026, Singapore's Ministry of Finance published the Companies (Amendment) Regulations 2026, which comes into operation on 6 May 2026. The amendment modifies Form 45 of the Second Schedule to the Companies Regulations, establishing enhanced eligibility criteria and compliance obligations for company directors and officers. The regulations expand the scope of disqualifying offences for directors to include convictions under the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2005 and the Variable Capital Companies Act 2018. Key amendments introduce a five-year lookback period for assessing director fitness, capturing convictions for fraud, dishonesty, securities violations, and corruption offences. The amendment specifically references convictions under Part 12 of the Securities and Futures Act 2001 (from 1 July 2015 onwards) and offences under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992 (from 6 May 2026 onwards). The regulations strengthen provisions relating to directors of struck-off companies, modifying thresholds and introducing exceptions for disqualification periods that have expired. Additional safeguards address variable capital companies, aligning eligibility criteria across different corporate structures. Significantly, the amendment introduces a new acknowledgement requirement (paragraph bc) requiring directors to confirm awareness of obligations under the Companies Act 1967 and commit to using the company for legitimate business purposes in compliance with applicable laws. This provision explicitly references risks including money laundering, fraud, scams, and activities prejudicial to public peace, welfare or good order in Singapore, with acknowledgement that misuse may result in regulatory or legal action. The amendment applies to all companies, limited liability partnerships, and variable capital companies registered in Singapore.