Chinese-American professor Huang Jing decided to resign as an independent director of Keppel Land following the cancellation of his permanent residency in Singapore, as reported by the Straits Times.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had earlier announced that Huang and his wife Shirley Yang Xiuping will be permanently banned from Singapore.
MHA said in a statement that Huang has been identified as an agent of influence of a foreign country, knowingly interacting with intelligence organisations and agents of the foreign country to influence the city-state's foreign policy.
"To this end, he engaged prominent and influential Singaporeans and gave them what he claimed was 'privileged information' about the foreign country, so as to influence their opinions in favour of that country. Huang also recruited others in aid of his operations," MHA stated.
Additionally, he allegedly gave privileged information" to a senior member of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
In his defence, according to reports, Huang denied the allegations during an interview with South China Morning Post. He noted that he would be seeking help from the US embassy in Singapore.
"It's nonsense to identify me as 'an agent of influence' for a foreign country. And why didn't they identify which foreign country they're referring to? Is it the US or China," he was quoted saying.
He furthered, "My family and my home are all here. I have property in Singapore, too. How can they treat me like this? If they have evidence, they should take me to court."
To recall, Huang was the Director of the Centre on Asia and Globalisation, and Lee Foundation Professor on US-China Relations, at the LKYSPP.
MHA reported that Huang's wife was well aware of his involvement in foreign intelligence.
"Huang used his senior position in the LKYSPP to deliberately and covertly advance the agenda of a foreign country at Singapore's expense. He did this in collaboration with foreign intelligence agents. This amounts to subversion and foreign interference in Singapore's domestic politics," MHA said.
