Property tycoon Robert Ng and three children to be designated politically significant persons under Fica

Singaporean property tycoon Robert Ng Chee Siong and three of his children are set to be designated as "politically significant persons" under the Republic's foreign interference law.

- Tham Yuen-C

All four are members of committees of China's top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), according to publicly available records.

Mr Robert Ng, who is the chairman of Hong Kong-listed Sino Group - the sister company of Singapore's Far East Organization - as well as his sons, Mr Daryl Ng Win Kong and Mr David Ng Win Loong, and his daughter, Ms Nikki Ng Mien Hua, had declared to the Registry of Foreign and Political Disclosures in 2024 that they are members of a foreign legislature or foreign political organisation, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on April 7.

Such declarations are required of Singaporeans who are members of such foreign bodies, among other things, under Section 79 of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, or Fica, a law that empowers the authorities to guard against the risk of foreign interference in domestic politics.

The Registrar of Foreign and Political Disclosures, who oversees the administration and implementation of provisions relating to politically significant persons - more commonly referred to as PSPs - has assessed that all four should be designated as PSPs under Fica, the ministry added.

The registrar has also served notice to the four individuals on April 7 that he intends to designate them as PSPs.

"To be clear, the designations of the four individuals are not because they have engaged in any egregious activity," MHA said in a statement.

However, those designated as PSPs are required to make annual disclosures to the registrar on political donations of $10,000 or more that they receive and accept, as well as on their foreign affiliations, and migration benefits such as honorary citizenship or permanent residency.