Socio-political commentary site Breakfast Network will be required to "cease its online service" given that it will not be registering under a class licensing act, said a Media Development Authority (MDA) spokesman on Tuesday morning.

"Since Breakfast Network has decided not to submit the registration form, and will therefore not be complying with the registration notification, MDA will require that Breakfast Network cease its online service," said the spokesman in a statement.

The site's founder, Ms Bertha Henson, had announced on Monday night that it will not be registering under the Broadcasting (Class Licence) Notification as requested by media authority.

On Tuesday morning, the site's content had been replaced with a notice that it was now closed. Breakfast Network will be returning to blogging and posting on Facebook, Ms Henson had earlier said.

The registration would have required the Breakfast Network to undertake not to receive foreign funding.

This "upholds the firmly-established principle that foreign entities may not engage in Singapore politics or be allowed to control or worse, manipulate our local media platforms, which are prime vehicles for political influence", MDA reiterated in its statement.

At Breakfast Network's request, MDA had on Dec 6 extended the deadline for Breakfast Network to register to Dec 17 , added the spokesman.