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Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Straits Times
HK's national security law update brings China's Beijing office ‘out of the shadows'
On May 13, City Garden Hotel in the North Point district was designated a 'prohibited place' occupied by Beijing's Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong. SCREENGRAB: GOOGLE MAPS News analysis A HK hotel famed for S'pore food is now closed to the public. The reason: A national security law update HONG KONG – In front of a traffic junction in Hong Kong island's North Point district stands a nondescript building in white bearing the name 'City Garden Hotel'. For years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the hotel – owned by Singaporean tycoon Robert Ng's Sino Group – was a popular haunt among Singaporeans and Malaysians living in Hong Kong seeking an authentic taste of home at the Satay Inn restaurant housed within its basement. But now, both restaurant and hotel have closed their doors to the public; and the once-transparent floor-to-ceiling windows that punctuated the building's glossy black facade have been covered with frosted film, denying passers-by on the streets below any glimpse of what goes on inside. On May 13, City Garden Hotel was designated a 'prohibited place' occupied by Beijing's Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong. The designation is part of a series of new subsidiary laws that Hong Kong has enacted under its Article 23 national security legislation. The updates to Article 23 spell out more clearly the Beijing office's powers in exercising jurisdiction over national security cases in Hong Kong, essentially allowing it to operate more effectively and openly in the territory. They introduce six new offences to facilitate the work of Beijing's national security office in Hong Kong, and designate six sites occupied by the office as prohibited places to keep out spies. The new offences include giving the office false or misleading information and failing to keep secret its measures or investigations. They are punishable by jail terms of up to seven years and fines of as much as HK$500,000 (S$82,400). The prohibited sites comprise City Garden Hotel, Island Pacific Hotel in Sai Ying Pun, two Metropark hotels in Causeway Bay and Hung Hom, and two areas in Tai Kok Tsui at which Beijing's national security office will be built. Trespassers who disobey police guard orders or obstruct their duties at these places face up to two years' jail. Those found spying there, such as inspecting the sites in person or through the use of electronic devices, can be jailed for up to 20 years. City Garden and Island Pacific are owned by Mr Ng and his family's Hong Kong-listed property developer Sino Group. The Singaporean billionaire and three of his children were in April designated by the Singapore government as 'politically significant persons' under the nation's foreign interference law aimed at preventing foreign influence in domestic politics. Mr Ng and his children Daryl, David and Nikki are members of China's top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Sino Group did not respond to queries from The Straits Times. The two other hotels are owned by China's state-owned China Travel Service. The enactment of the new subsidiary laws to Article 23 came swiftly – barely a day after the proposal was disclosed and tabled in the Legislative Council (LegCo) on May 12. Bills typically have to be gazetted, or made known to the public, and then pass through three LegCo readings – which can vary from a day to more than a year – before they are enacted. But these new laws were passed through a so-called 'negative vetting' process that allowed for them to take effect before being reviewed by lawmakers. The legislature completed its scrutiny of the regulations two days after their enactment. Chief Executive John Lee said the legislation's swift enactment was 'imperative' to 'ensure legal certainty' and combat threats to Hong Kong amid growing global instability. Such threats 'are like viruses (that) always exist around us, poised to cause harm', Mr Lee told the media at his weekly press conference on May 20. Hong Kong's South China Morning Post cited a source familiar with the legislative agenda as saying that developments in the US-China tariff war on May 12 made it 'a prime window for Hong Kong to fast-track the legislation when the global news agenda was on the trade truce'. It would allow the move to escape foreign media attention and criticism. China and the United States agreed to slash reciprocal tariffs on each other that day. The US would be ' very unlikely' to impose new punitive measures against Hong Kong over the new laws during this period, the newspaper quoted the unnamed source as saying. At the presser, Mr Lee sought to assuage concerns that the update grants more powers to Beijing's national security office in Hong Kong. 'The subsidiary legislation does not grant new powers to the (office),' he said. 'It provides a clearer and more detailed description of the powers that already exist under the present law, thereby increasing legal certainty and precision.' A national security law was first imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing in June 2020 after mass anti-government protests in 2019. That allowed the mainland authorities to set up a national security office in the territory with the power to gather intelligence and enforce the law . This office can exercise jurisdiction over a national security case in Hong Kong under 'special circumstances', such as when it is 'complex' and involves foreign countries, if the local government is unable to do so itself, or in the face of a 'major and imminent threat'. Hong Kong later enacted its own complementary-but-broader legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law, the city's mini-Constitution, in March 2024. Professor John Burns, from the University of Hong Kong's (HKU) politics and public administration department, said the updates to Article 23 are 'implementation rules to help officers from Beijing's national security office carry out their work in Hong Kong'. 'The office has been operating in the shadows. The new laws now make it more transparent, so that it can more directly and openly operate in Hong Kong,' he told ST. 'The new laws haven't added to the office's powers; it's already very powerful. But the laws clarify what the office can do and list them out specifically.' Professor Simon Young, a practising barrister and HKU law professor, said the regulations 'serve to normalise the mainland office as a Hong Kong law enforcement agency'. They do not signal whether the office is more likely to exercise jurisdiction over security cases in Hong Kong, Prof Young told ST , adding, however, that they ' do suggest that there will be closer cooperation between the mainland office and local law enforcement agencies to better protect national security'. At Mr Lee's May 20 presser, the Chief Executive skirted a reporter's question on how many staff were under the office's employ. Local media have previously reported that the City Garden and Island Pacific hotels were being used by the office for staff accommodation, while the Metropark Hotel in Causeway Bay has been its temporary headquarters since July 2020. Together, City Garden and Island Pacific provide 948 rooms for accommodation, while the two Metropark Hotels in Causeway Bay and Hung Hom have a combined 753 rooms. 'These figures indicate a significant increase in the number of personnel stationed in Hong Kong since the mainland office was initially established in 2020 ,' Prof Burns said. 'It brings to everyone's attention that a fairly large central government police force is operating in Hong Kong.' Magdalene Fung is The Straits Times' Hong Kong correspondent. She is a Singaporean who has spent about a decade living and working in Hong Kong. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Property tycoon Robert Ng and 3 children designated politically significant persons under Fica
(Clockwise from top left) Singaporean property tycoon Robert Ng and three of his children – Mr Daryl Ng, Mr David Ng and Ms Nikki Ng – have been designated 'politically significant persons'. PHOTOS: BLOOMBERG, YEO HIAP SENG, DAVID NG/LINKEDIN, PBCFORUM SINGAPORE – Singaporean property tycoon Robert Ng Chee Siong and three of his children have been designated as 'politically significant persons' under the nation's foreign interference law designed to guard against the risks of foreign influence in domestic politics. Under Singapore's Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (Fica), they must declare political donations of $10,000 or more, among other precautionary oversight measures, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a statement on April 22. The measures, under Section 48(1) of Fica, will apply to Mr Robert Ng – chairman of Hong Kong-listed Sino Group, the sister company of Singapore's Far East Organization – whose affiliations with major Communist Party of China committees have put him under scrutiny of the Singapore authorities. The Fica measures also apply to his sons, Mr Daryl Ng Win Kong and Mr David Ng Win Loong, and his daughter, Ms Nikki Ng Mien Hua, with effect from April 22. According to publicly available records, the four are members of committees of China's top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) – an advisory group within the Communist Party of China's political system. MHA said in a statement on April 22 that the four were formally informed on April 7 that they would be designated as politically significant persons (PSPs). They did not object to the decision, it added. 'The designations of the four individuals are not because they have engaged in any egregious activity,' said the ministry. The family members had declared to the Registry of Foreign and Political Disclosures in 2024 that they are members of a foreign legislature or foreign political organisation, MHA said in an earlier statement on April 7. The declarations are mandatory for Singaporeans who are members of such foreign organisations, under Section 79 of Fica. Under Fica, the four will be 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. Mr Robert Ng's family has a significant public profile in Singapore, with Far East Organization and Sino Group among the largest property developers in the country. The groups are linked to major property developments here, including the Fullerton Heritage project and the redevelopment of Golden Mile Complex. Sino Group's philanthropic arm, Hong Kong-based Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation, has also made donations to several charitable causes and given substantial amounts to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in Jurong, as well as supporting the National Gallery Singapore. Mr Robert Ng has been increasingly linked to significant roles in the Chinese political sphere, including as the National Committee's deputy director of the committee for economic affairs and the vice-chairman of the China Overseas Friendship Association, a foreign affairs organisation under the Chinese government. His children, Mr Daryl Ng, 46; Ms Ng, 44; and Mr David Ng, 36, are members of the CPPCC's local committees, among other political affiliations. They are the deputy chairman, non-executive director and group associate director at Sino Group, respectively. Mr Daryl Ng is a standing committee member of the 14th Beijing Municipal Committee, and was a member of the 12th and 13th Beijing Municipal Committee. He is also the president of the Hong Kong United Youth Association and the chairman of the Hong Kong-Asean Foundation. Ms Ng is a member of the 14th Shanghai Municipal Committee, and had also been a member of the 12th to 13th committees, and Mr David Ng is a member of the 13th Fujian Provincial Committee, and had also been a member of the 12th committee. Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam had said in 2024 that Singapore citizens and permanent residents were allowed to be members of such foreign entities but, under Fica, they had to declare such memberships. Singaporeans who join such bodies would need to be discerning as to whether their participation could potentially go against Singapore's interests, Mr Shanmugam said then. Introduced in 2021, Fica arms the Singapore authorities to deal with covert attempts by hostile foreign actors to meddle with domestic politics, such as artificially amplifying certain views to manipulate public opinion on hot-button issues, instilling unrest or undermining confidence in institutions. The law was introduced by MHA amid an increasing prevalence of disinformation campaigns led by state actors and other organisations against targeted countries. Under Fica, PSPs can include political office-holders, MPs, and election candidates and their election agents. Other individuals or groups may also be designated politically significant if the authorities assess that their activities are directed towards a political end, and that it is in the public interest that countermeasures against foreign interference be applied. The law does not target Singaporeans or other local entities that express their views, unless they are being used by foreign entities as proxies for interference. Human rights group Maruah and non-governmental organisation Think Centre – both gazetted as political associations – were designated as PSPs in December 2023 when Fica's provisions against interference via local proxies came into force. Singaporean businessman Philip Chan Man Ping was also designated a politically significant person in February 2024. The National Trades Union Congress was designated a PSP in July 2024. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Business Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Sino Group's Robert Ng and children designated politically significant persons under foreign interference law
[SINGAPORE] Sino Group chairman Robert Ng and his three children have been designated as politically significant persons under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday (Apr 22). The four individuals were issued notices of intended designation on Apr 7 and did not submit any representations against their intended designations. 'The registrar remains of the view that all four individuals should be designated as politically significant persons base on their declared memberships in foreign legislatures or foreign political organisations,' MHA said. 'The designations of the four individuals are not because they have engaged in any egregious activity.' Robert Ng, 72, is the eldest son of the late Ng Teng Fong, founder of Singapore property giant Far East Organization, and brother of Philip Ng, who has retired as chief executive officer of FEO. Robert Ng's children are Daryl Ng, 46; Nikki Ng, 44; and David Ng, 36. All four members of the Ng family have links to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference – China's top political advisory body. The designation as PSPs means that they will be required to make annual disclosures to the Registrar of Foreign and Political Disclosures on foreign affiliations and migrations benefits as well as political donations of S$10,000 or more that they receive and accept.
CNA
22-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Singapore tycoon Robert Ng and his three children designated as 'politically significant persons'
SINGAPORE: Sino Group chairman Robert Ng and three of his children - Mr Daryl Ng, Ms Nikki Ng and Mr David Ng - have been designated as "politically significant persons" under a law to counter foreign interference. It comes about two weeks after they were served a notice of the authorities' intention to do so and did not submit any representations against their intended designation, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a press release on Tuesday (Apr 22). Based on their declared memberships in foreign legislatures or foreign political organisations, MHA said the registrar assessed that they should be designated as "politically significant persons" under Section 48(1) of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, or FICA. Enacted in 2021, the law contains "countermeasures to prevent, detect and disrupt foreign interference in (Singapore's) domestic politics". "The designations of the four individuals are not because they have engaged in any egregious activity," MHA said. Mr Daryl Ng, Ms Nikki Ng and Mr David Ng are the deputy chairman, a non-executive director and group associate director at Sino Group, respectively. Checks by CNA showed that the four members of the Ng family hold positions in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body. Unlike the National People's Congress, the CPPCC has no lawmaking powers, but its suggestions can influence policymaking. As a designated politically significant person, they are required to make annual disclosures to the Registrar on their political donations of S$10,000 (US$7,400) or more that they receive and accept. They also have to declare their foreign affiliations and migration benefits. Mr Robert Ng and his children declared their involvement shortly before Mar 1, 2024, which was the deadline for Singapore citizens to declare their memberships with foreign legislatures or foreign political organisations. Singaporeans who were already members before Feb 1, 2024, had to do so by Mar 1 that year. As of Mar 31, seven Singaporeans have declared their memberships in foreign legislatures or foreign political organisations. Mr Ng and his children were served notices on Apr 7, said MHA. MHA further clarified on Apr 9 that the other three individuals were not issued notices as the Registrar of Foreign and Political Disclosures had assessed that they did not meet the designation thresholds. This is the second time MHA has designated individuals under FICA provisions. The first person to be served this notice was Singaporean businessman Philip Chan Man Ping, who later received the designation on Feb 26, 2024. At the time of his designation, Mr Chan - who immigrated from Hong Kong and eventually became a Singapore citizen - was known to be associated with the CPPCC. He was also involved in grassroots and fundraising efforts in Singapore for over a decade. foreign interference FICA China
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Singapore names property tycoon Ng under foreign influence law
Sino Group Chairman Ng and his family members declared their overseas political ties as required by law of Singapore citizens, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday. Singapore designated real estate billionaire Robert Ng and three of his children as 'politically significant persons' under a law designed to curb foreign influence. Sino Group Chairman Ng and his family members declared their overseas political ties as required by law of Singapore citizens, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday. Individuals with that designation must adhere to various stipulations including the disclosure of political donations in excess of $10,000 they receive, the government website said. 'To be clear, the intended designations of the four individuals are not because they have engaged in any egregious activity,' it said. Ng's children Daryl Ng, Nikki Ng and David Ng — all Singaporeans — also received the PSP label, according to the MHA, which did not say what foreign political body they were members of. Ng's Hong-Kong based firm controls the Conrad hotel in the city. His net worth is US$3.2 billion ($4.31 billion), according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Ng's biography on the Sino Group website says he served as a member of the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, an influential political advisory body on the mainland known as CPPCC for short. Passed in 2021, Singapore's Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act also gives officials the authority to order social media platforms to disclose information behind posts. While the government said the measure is needed to prevent hostile information campaigns, opposition politicians expressed concerns it might be used to muzzle dissent. Sino Group did not immediately respond to Bloomberg's request for comment on Monday. A spokesperson for developer Far East Organization — affiliated with Ng — did not immediately comment when reached by Bloomberg. See Also: Click here to stay updated with the Latest Business & Investment News in Singapore Read more stories about where the money flows, and analysis of the biggest market stories from Singapore and around the World Get in-depth insights from our expert contributors, and dive into financial and economic trends Follow the market issue situation with our daily updates Or want more Lifestyle and Passion stories? Click here
