海角大神

Singapore authorities on Monday ruled the hanging death of American scientist Shane Todd last year was a suicide. State coroner Chay Yuen Fatt found that there was no foul play and that the 31-year-old Mr. Todd died by asphyxia due to hanging.

Todd鈥檚 family immediately criticized the ruling as predetermined, and vowed to continue a high-profile campaign that has put Singapore鈥檚 normally cordial relations with the United States under strain.

Todd was found hanged to death in his Singapore apartment in June 2012, days before he was to leave the country for good and return to the US. His parents in Montana have long rejected the possibility of suicide, instead believing their son died trying to stop a transfer of highly-sensitive military-grade technology from his employer, Singapore鈥檚 Institute of Microelectronics (IME), to Huawei Technologies, suspected by some countries of enabling Chinese espionage with their devices.

The coroner鈥檚 inquiry focused on the cause of death. Now the US and Singapore are faced with sensitive and diplomatically awkward questions about whether there was, in fact, a secret effort to transfer US export-controlled technology to a firm with suspected ties to the Chinese military.

Last March, trying to calm angry US officials threatening to cut off Defense Department funding to Singapore鈥檚 IME, Singapore鈥檚 Foreign Affairs and Law Minister, K Shanmugam, invited the US to participate in what he called an 鈥渁udit,鈥� or investigation, into allegations of an illegal technology transfer. The two countries have to yet agree on the terms of the investigation.

鈥淚 see such an audit as having an assurance factor, particularly if it is led by the US-side and/or is independently conducted,鈥� says Eugene Tan, an assistant professor of law at Singapore Management University and a nominated member of Parliament.

While the US expects an investigation to be led by the Department of Commerce鈥檚 Bureau of Industry and Security, Singapore will insist on its sovereignty in the case, Mr. Tan says. But he believes both countries have an interest in maintaining good relations.

鈥淏oth the US and Singapore have a good sense of what is at stake,鈥� Tan says. 鈥淲ithout suggesting that the larger interests will overwhelm the specific concerns of the case, both countries are not going to let this matter undermine the depth of the bilateral US-Singapore relationship.鈥�

Fallout

Veteran Singaporean political observer PN Balji says the investigation, while diplomatically sensitive, is unlikely to seriously hurt strong US-Singapore ties.

鈥淭he IME had already said there were no defense-related links with Huawei,鈥� Mr. Balji says. 鈥淯nless the US can prove otherwise it will be difficult to push the relationship downwards.鈥�

The ruling also is unlikely to hurt Singapore鈥檚 ambitions to grow its defense-related industries. 鈥淭he verdict will not have an impact on defense contracts. Singapore has been transparent,鈥� says Mano Sabnani, a former journalist turned financial expert.

However, lawyer and political observer Siew Kum Hong says while the IME audit will probably prove to be routine, there could be some fallout for the government-backed company.

鈥淚ME's reputation might suffer some damage from this incident,鈥� he says. 鈥淥ther institutions and companies may just decide not to work with IME instead of taking the risk of any lasting adverse effects.鈥�

Following Monday鈥檚 suicide finding, the US Embassy in Singapore released a carefully worded statement that avoided any mention of a further investigation into a possible technology transfer. 鈥淭he inquiry into Dr. Todd鈥檚 death was comprehensive, fair, and transparent,鈥� the statement read.

The Todd family

To the Todd family, smooth US-Singapore relations are secondary to what happened to their son, and whether 鈥� as he reportedly told them 鈥� his life and US national security were at risk. The Todds worry that a conspiracy of complacency will win out over a search for what they consider the truth.

The family鈥檚 newly unveiled website, , is designed to counter what they see as misinformation from Singaporean officials. And they plan to lobby lawmakers in Washington, where Montana鈥檚 two US senators, Max Baucus and Jon Tester, have previously sought to cut some $500,000 in Defense Department funding to Singapore鈥檚 IME while questions go unanswered.

鈥淥ne must ask if Shane really committed suicide, why did the state and IME expend such an enormous amount of time, effort, and money to prove it? What do Singapore, IME, and Huawei have to hide?鈥� the Todds said in a statement.

American Michael Dee, a permanent resident of Singapore and the former honorary Consul General for Singapore to Texas, said following Monday鈥檚 suicide verdict that American interests were not served by the coroner鈥檚 inquiry into Todd鈥檚 death.

鈥淚 grieve for Shane Todd鈥檚 family who have waited an unconscionable year for an unsatisfactory coroner's report into their son鈥檚 death,鈥� Mr. Dee says. 鈥淪ingapore has a well-deserved reputation for safety. However, all Singapore residents should be deeply concerned as many open questions remain which do not reflect well on the process.鈥�