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Singapore concerned about foreign influence on new website

News website "The Independent" will be launching officially on National Day, but has already caught the attention of the government. (Screengrab from website)

Singapore’s government moved to bar an upcoming news and current affairs website from receiving foreign funding over fears the site could be a platform for overseas interests to influence local politics.

In a statement Monday, the Media Development Authority said it asked the promoters of The Independent to register the site under a class licence and, as part of the registration, to undertake not to receive foreign funding.

The media watchdog said the government "has received specific information which gives it cause for concern over foreign interest to fund The Independent", without elaborating further what that was.

The undertaking, the MDA noted, will prevent the website from "being controlled by, or coming under the influence of, foreign entities or funding, and ensure that Singapore politics remain a matter for Singaporeans alone".

"The need to prevent foreign interests from influencing local politics through the Singaporean media remains the same whether in print, broadcast or online," said the authority, adding that it will look into incorporating more safeguards in the Broadcasting Act to further enforce this.

The Independent models itself as a media group that gives "a level-headed and balanced view of events in Singapore". It has been live since May, but is officially launching on National Day, and is run by managing editor Kumaran Pillai, former editor of The Online Citizen, as well as consulting editor P N Balji, former founding chief editor of the TODAY newspaper.
 
A response statement by the website's management confirmed that it is complying with the regulations in place and will be registering under the section.
 
In it, they stressed that the website's board and core team is made up completely of Singaporeans, emphasising that no foreigners are, or ever have been, involved. It also revealed that its core team includes former editor and journalist at national newspaper The Straits Times Edmund Wee.
 
"We would like to highlight that the posture of The Independent is and has always been to be a purely Singaporean-funded media operation," it said. "The Independent has not and will not ever come under the influence of foreign entities or funding."