Philip Chan faces scrutiny under Singapore’s Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act
Philip Chan, a 59-year-old naturalised Singaporean and Hong Kong-born businessman, is the first person to be served a notice under Singapore’s Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (Fica). Authorities have assessed that Chan’s activities show susceptibility to foreign influence and a willingness to advance foreign interests. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has proposed designating him as a politically significant person, a classification that would require him to make annual disclosures about political donations over S$10,000, foreign affiliations, and migration benefits.
Chan, who has a background in real estate, was also invited to China’s Two Sessions parliamentary meetings in March 2023, where he represented overseas Chinese. He has been outspoken about promoting China’s narrative and its future potential, especially among overseas Chinese communities. His public statement, saying it is the duty of overseas Chinese to “tell China’s story well”, raised concerns.
In his earlier activism, Chan facilitated a public assembly in Singapore about the Hong Kong protests in 2019, which led to a police warning for holding the assembly without a permit.
Under Fica, if designated, Chan could face additional countermeasures aimed at preventing foreign interference, including prohibitions on foreign donations and transparency rules. He has 14 days to submit representations and can appeal the decision to the Minister for Home Affairs, K. Shanmugam.
