At the time, the NRO and the Registry of Births and Deaths (RBD) came under the former Ministry of Labour. The Registry of Societies (ROS), Martial Arts Control Unit (MACU) came under the Ministry of Home Affairs. On 16 October 1981, the NRO, RBD, ROC, MACU and ROS merged to form the National Registration Department (NRD). The NRD consisted of four registries: the Registry of Births and Deaths, the Registry of Citizens, the Registry of Societies and the National Registration Office. The NRD was located at the Empress Place Building until 1986 when the building was transformed into the now defunct Empress Place Museum.