In 2021, Singapore enacted the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, known as FICA. On paper, it aims to protect Singaporean politics from foreign interference with two sets of provisions. The first provision targets information campaigns. This provision empowers the government to shut down organisations deemed to communicate “on behalf of a foreign principal” with the aim of manipulating Singapore’s domestic political discourse. The second provision concerns measures to counter local proxies or politically significant persons (known as PSPs). Under this provision, personalities suspected of being foreign agents can be monitored. The bill has raised several concerns, primarily due to its vague…

In February 2021, the Thai Cabinet approved in principle the draft Act on the Operation of Not-for-profit Organisations. This law would enable Thai officials to unilaterally order the temporary or permanent closure of non-profit organisations that, through their actions, adversely affect Thailand’s relations with countries. The international community has condemned the draft law since it would systematically violate fundamental rights like freedom of association and freedom of expression of non-profit organisations. Additionally, its provisions would restrict the collaboration between local and foreign CSOs. After resistance and pushback from both domestic and international stakeholders, the draft law was temporarily put on…

In 2022, the Myanmar Junta enacted the new Law on Organisation Registration, repealing the previous Registration of Organisation Law 2014. This law regulates the registration of NGOs and INGOs. It affects, primarily, the latter. With the new law, at least 40% of the executive membership of an INGO must be made up of Myanmar citizens. Furthermore, it also expands the requirements an INGO must meet in order to operate in the country, such as obtaining approval of the relevant authorities regarding its intended programmes and activities. Observers believe that the law is part of the Junta’s attempt to restrict CSOs’…

The Royal Government of Cambodia has regularly used rhetoric of foreign interference to accuse members of civil society organisations and opposition political parties of collaborating with international actors to corrupt Cambodian society. For example, in 2017, Kem Sokha, former leader of the opposition party CNRP - which was dissolved by the Supreme Court in the same year - was arrested for treason, and accused of colluding with the United States to topple the Cambodian government. The ruling party has implemented several measures such as amending the constitution to ban Cambodians holding dual nationalities from holding high-ranking political positions, citing the…