MOF rejects historian Thum Ping Tjin's appeal against failed company registration
Historian Thum Ping Tjin (left) and freelance journalist Kirsten Han had sought to register a company funded by foreign groups to organise activities such as workshops and “democracy classroom” sessions.
SINGAPORE — Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat has rejected an appeal from historian Thum Ping Tjin, who filed it against the Registrar of Companies. Dr Thum's application to register a company was rejected in April by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, the national regulator of business entities, which flagged it as being “contrary to Singapore’s national interests”.
The company, Osea Pte Ltd, was found then to have connections to foreign funding from a group led by billionaire George Soros that was set up to pursue a political agenda.
In a statement issued on Friday (Sept 28), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said that the appeal was received on May 9, and Mr Heng has “carefully considered the written representations submitted by Dr Thum and the Registrar’s reasons” for rejecting the application to register Osea.
“(Mr Heng) takes the view that it was proper and correct for the Registrar to refuse Dr Thum’s application, on the ground that it is contrary to the national interest for the proposed company to be registered,” said MOF, adding that it informed Dr Thum and the Registrar of the decision on Friday.
In the email which was sent to both parties — and made available to the media — MOF detailed the considerations behind Mr Heng’s decision, which is final.
It noted that in his appeal, Dr Thum argued that the Registrar’s decision was misguided because, among other things, foreign funding is not “in and of itself” against the national interest. He also said that Osea would be “controlled” by Singaporeans, and the activities of the proposed company would be “similar” to other programmes in Singapore.
In its representations, the Registrar was satisfied that it was contrary to the national interest for the application to be approved, because the intended purposes of the proposed company were clearly political in nature, and it would be funded by foreign entities and foreigners.
The Registrar also noted that Singapore’s position has always been that foreign interference in its domestic politics is contrary to national interest, and registering the proposed company would “amount to allowing foreign entities or foreigners to fund and influence domestic politics in Singapore”.
Mr Heng noted that Dr Thum “does not dispute that the proposed company is being set up for political purposes”, and that its political activities are intended to be conducted in Singapore, with Singaporeans as the target audience.
Among other things, Dr Thum also does not dispute that it would be funded by foreigners and foreign entities.
Mr Heng also noted that the proposed company’s parent, Observatory Southeast Asia Ltd (Osea UK), had received a grant of up to US$75,000 (about S$102,600) on terms imposed by Foundation Open Society Institute within the Open Society Foundation. These are charity networks founded and led by Mr Soros.
The grant funds the operations of New Naratif, a website with “heavy political content run by Osea UK” for which the proposed company would provide editorial services.
It was also noted by Mr Heng that Dr Thum does not dispute that the Open Society Foundation has a political agenda, and New Naratif held itself out as an “overtly political movement” targeting South-east Asian urban residents aged 18 and above, with Singapore being its initial market.
In the application to register the proposed company on Feb 8, Dr Thum and freelance journalist Kirsten Han were listed as Osea’s director and editor-in-chief respectively.
MOF reiterated that Singapore’s “consistent position has always been that politics in Singapore is meant for Singaporeans alone to determine”.
“To protect its sovereignty and safeguard national interests, Singapore takes a strong stance against direct and indirect foreign interference with its domestic politics,” the ministry added.
Given the circumstances, Mr Heng said that the proposed company, if allowed to be registered, “could provide an avenue for foreigners or foreign entities to influence or interfere with Singapore domestic politics”.
MOF said: “Such foreign influence or interference can arise from conditions imposed by foreign entities through their direct or indirect funding of the proposed company’s political activities impacting Singapore.”
It added: “The minister therefore holds that it was proper and correct for the Registrar to conclude based on the evidence, that the application must be refused as it is contrary to the national interest for the proposed company to be registered. Accordingly, the minister turns down the appeal.”
