SINGAPORE - The academic who was stripped of his permanent residency for working with a foreign government to influence Singapore's foreign policy and public opinion has failed in his bid to remain in Singapore.
Dr Huang Jing, 60, and his wife Shirley Yang Xiuping's appeal against the cancellation of their permanent residency was rejected, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Wednesday (Aug 23).
Dr Huang and his wife were stripped of their permanent residency on Aug 4. They appealed to the Minister for Home Affairs on Aug 7.
Their appeals were rejected by the minister, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement, adding that the couple were informed of the rejection on Wednesday.
"The Minister's decision is final. Huang Jing and his wife will have to leave Singapore within a stipulated grace period," MHA said.
"They will be permanently banned from re-entering Singapore," it added. It did not say what the grace period was.
Dr Huang and his wife were born in China and are now United States citizens.
Dr Huang was director of the Centre on Asia and Globalisation and Lee Foundation Professor on US-China relations at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
His views on China and foreign policy issues were regularly sought by organisations and the media.
Besides submitting articles to Singapore newspapers, he also contributed articles to China's Global Times, a newspaper closely linked to the Chinese government.
Earlier this month, the ministry identified Dr Huang as "an agent of influence of a foreign country" who worked with intelligence organisations and agents from that country, which it did not name.
"Huang used his senior position in the LKY School to deliberately and covertly advance the agenda of a foreign country at Singapore's expense. He did this in collaboration with foreign intelligence agents," said the ministry in a statement at the time.
"This amounts to subversion and foreign interference in Singapore's domestic politics. Huang's continued presence in Singapore, and that of his wife, are therefore undesirable," it added.
The National University of Singapore, which the LKY School is a part of, has suspended Dr Huang without pay.
Dr Huang has also resigned as an independent director of public-listed company Keppel Land, where he has been a board member since 2014.
