S'porean businessman first to be served notice under law on foreign interference

He is assessed to have shown susceptibility to being influenced by foreign actors: MHA

- Chin Soo Fang

Businessman Philip Chan Man Ping, 59, has been served notice that the authorities intend to designate him as a politically significant person under Singapore’s foreign interference laws.

This is as Mr Chan, a naturalised Singapore citizen, has been assessed to have shown susceptibility to being influenced by foreign actors, and willingness to advance their interests, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Feb 2.

The notice means the Hong Kong-born businessman is the first person to be dealt with under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (Fica), a law that empowers the authorities here to deal with foreign interference in domestic politics.

In a statement, MHA said it has been assessed that his activities “are directed towards a political end in Singapore, and that it is in the public interest for countermeasures under Fica to be applied to Chan”.

As a designated politically significant person, Mr Chan would have to make annual disclosures to the authorities of political donations of $10,000 or more that he has received and accepted, and declare his foreign affiliations and any migration benefits.

“These transparency requirements would help to detect and prevent any foreign interference directed towards a political end in Singapore,” said MHA, without naming any country.

When contacted by The Straits Times, Mr Chan said he had just received the notice on Feb 2 and would respond to it next week.