Sino’s Robert Ng, Children Tagged Under Singapore Foreign Political Interference Law

Sino Group chairman Robert Ng and three of his children have been designated as “politically significant persons” under a Singapore law designed to prevent foreign interference in the country’s political process.

With Singapore’s next election less than two weeks away, the country’s Registrar of Foreign and Political Disclosures tagged Robert Ng and his children Daryl Ng, Nikki Ng and David Ng, all citizens of Singapore, with the designation under Singapore’s Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act of 2021, according to a statement by the country’s Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday.

“The Registrar remains of the view that all four individuals should be designated as PSPs, based on their declared memberships in Foreign Legislatures or Foreign Political Organisations. The designations of the four individuals are not because they have engaged in any egregious activity,” the Ministry said in the statement.

The statement did not specify what activities resulted in the designations for the members of one of Singapore’s wealthiest families, with all four now required to make annual disclosures if they accept political donations of S$10,000 ($7,640) or more, of foreign affiliations and of any migration benefits, the statement read.

Mainland Political Involvement

The designation on Tuesday comes two weeks after the Ministry had announced its intended designation of the Ng family members under the law, with a statement at the time noting that the four had declared to Singapore’s Registry of Foreign and Political Disclosures that, “they were members of a Foreign Legislature (FL) or Foreign Political Organisation (FPO).”

While specifics of the relevant foreign political groups were not provided, the Sino Group website lists Robert, Daryl and Nikki as members of mainland China legislative bodies.

Known for projects like The Pottinger Hotel and New York House in Hong Kong’s Central district, Sino Group is among Hong Kong’s largest property developers with it’s HKEX-listed Sino Land unit having a market cap of HK$70.3 billion ($9 billion).

Robert Ng is the son of Ng Teng Fong who founded Singapore-based Far East Organization, a real estate developer and investment firm now led by Robert’s nephew Jonathan Ng. Bloomberg currently estimates Robert Ng’s personal fortune at $3.2 billion.

Sino Group’s website notes that Robert Ng served as a member of the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (“CPPCC”), with the latest session of the mainland political body having concluded in 2023. Ng was also deputy director of the Committee for Economic Affairs of the 13th and 14th National Committee of the CPPCC.

Participation in mainland China political bodies has become common practice among Hong Kong’s business elite, with both Li Ka-shing and his son Victor also having served as members of the CPPCC. Sun Hung Kai Properties chairman Raymond Kwok and New World chairman Henry Cheng also served on the mainland legislative body.

Family Affair

Daryl Ng, Robert’s oldest son, serves as Sino Group’s vice chairman and was a member of the 12th and 13th Beijing Municipal Committees of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (“CPPCC”). The Columbia University graduate has also been a member of the Standing Committee of the 14th Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC and a member of the 10th and 11th Committees of the All-China Youth Federation, according to his bio on the Sino Group website.

Robert Ng’s daughter Nikki, who serves as a non-executive director at Sino Group, was a member of the 12th, 13th and 14th Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, according to her bio on the company website.

David Ng is the younger son of Robert and serves as group associate director at Sino Group. His association with political groups was not immediately clear.