NTUC designated ‘politically significant person’ under Singapore’s foreign interference law
THIRD ORGANISATION TO BE DESIGNATED PSP
Singapore’s foreign interference law is aimed at strengthening the government’s ability to prevent, detect and disrupt foreign interference in domestic politics. The Bill was passed in parliament in October 2021 after a lengthy debate.
Political parties, political office holders, Members of Parliament, election candidates and their agents are among those defined as PSPs.
NTUC is the third organisation to be designated a PSP, following human rights groups Maruah and Think Centre.
Maruah and Think Centre were designated as PSPs in December 2023 and are therefore subject to stricter measures on political donations.
Maruah aims to promote human rights at the national, regional and international levels. It is also the Singapore focal point for the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, an NGO recognised in the ASEAN Charter.
Think Centre is a member of Forum Asia, an international NGO working on human rights.
In February, Singaporean businessman Philip Chan Man Ping became the first person to be designated as a PSP under the foreign interference law.
MHA said at the time that Mr Chan, who immigrated from Hong Kong in 1990, showed “susceptibility to be influenced by foreign actors, and willingness to advance their interests”. The foreign actors involved were not identified.
Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam previously said that when the Singapore authorities decide to designate someone a PSP under the foreign interference law, they must conclude that it is in the public interest to do so.
In response to parliamentary questions, Mr Shanmugam explained on Feb 29 that to be designated as a PSP, an individual must be a member of a foreign legislature or foreign political organisation, or their activities must be directed towards a political end in Singapore.
“But in addition to this, there is also the public interest criteria that must be satisfied,” he added.
