Singapore’s government has announced the intention to designate the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) as a “politically significant person” under the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (Fica). This designation will require NTUC to comply with specific transparency declarations, although it will not impede its ongoing operations.

Under the Fica regulations, politically significant persons include entities like political parties and Members of Parliament. NTUC has received a notice regarding this designation and has 14 days to submit any representations to the Registrar of Foreign and Political Disclosures.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) characterized this move as a “pre-emptive measure” to address potential future risks, clarifying that there is currently no evidence of foreign compromise or wrongdoing associated with NTUC. The designation is intended solely for the federation level; other NTUC-affiliated organizations will not be subject to the same scrutiny due to their limited involvement in Singapore’s political landscape.

If officially designated, NTUC will be obligated to disclose any political donations of S$10,000 or more and reveal its foreign affiliations. The MHA emphasized that this is in the public interest, given NTUC’s close relationship with the ruling People’s Action Party, and aims to reduce the risk of foreign interference.

In response to the intended designation, NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng stated that the organization aligns with national efforts to prevent foreign influence and assured stakeholders that NTUC’s core mission to improve workers’ lives would persist unaffected. A representative from the Ministry of Manpower confirmed that this designation will not restrict NTUC’s current activities, which comply with the Trade Unions Act.

Since the implementation of Fica’s provisions regarding politically significant persons in late December 2023, three entities have been designated, including NGOs Think Centre and Maruah, and businessman Philip Chan, who was identified as susceptible to foreign influence.