Four months after it warned foreign organisations against interfering in domestic issues, especially those of a political or controversial nature, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) yesterday reiterated that foreign firms have to get a permit if they want to get involved with events at the Speakers’ Corner.

The reminder came as it announced that Singaporean entities, such as companies, are exempted from applying for a permit, and spelt out what constitutes such entities.

Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said: “Our principle has always been the same — underlying it, politics in Singapore is for Singaporeans and controversial, social, political issues are to be discussed and dealt with by Singaporeans. Foreigners cannot play a role in that.”

… The new rules were only a matter of time, in the context of Singapore’s “increasingly externalised security concerns” relating not only to terrorism, but also to maintaining social cohesion and unity while engaging with the global economy, said Associate Professor Alan Chong of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.