MHA rejects academic’s appeal against decision to revoke PR status

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has rejected an appeal by academic Huang Jing and his wife against the Government’s decision to revoke their permanent residence (PR) status. Prof Huang and Ms Shirley Yang Xiuping were informed about the decision on Wednesday (Aug 23), the ministry said in response to media queries.

The couple, both United States citizens, had submitted an appeal to the Home Affairs Minister on Aug 7, three days after it was announced that their PR status had been cancelled. 

The MHA had identified Prof Huang, who was a US-China expert with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), as an “agent of influence of a foreign country”.

“The Minister’s decision is final. Huang Jing and his wife will have to leave Singapore within a stipulated grace period. They will be permanently banned from re-entering Singapore,” the MHA said on Wednesday.

When contacted by TODAY, Prof Huang, 60, said the rejection of his appeal was “not a shock”. Asked about his future plans and when they would be leaving the country, Prof Huang said: “We plan to leave Singapore for our home in USA as early as possible.”

On Aug 4, the MHA  announced that Prof Huang “knowingly interacted” with intelligence organisations and agents of a foreign country, and co-operated with them to influence Singapore’s foreign policy and public opinion here.

It did not name the country in question, but said Prof Huang had engaged prominent and influential Singaporeans, and gave them what he claimed was privileged information about that foreign country, so as to influence their opinions in favour of that country.

Prof Huang used his senior position in the LKYSPP, which is part of the National University of Singapore (NUS),  to “deliberately and covertly advance the agenda of a foreign country at Singapore’s expense”, the MHA said.

Prof Huang, who was subsequently suspended without pay by the LKYSPP with immediate effect, has denied the allegations against him.

In response to TODAY’s queries, an NUS spokesperson said Prof Huang’s employment at the university “has always been conditional on the necessary immigration permits for him to work in Singapore”. 

“As his appeal against the cancellation of these permits has been unsuccessful ... Dr Huang’s employment with the university has been terminated with immediate effect,” said the spokesperson Wednesday.