"It's not happening," the source told Reuters on Thursday, responding to media reports that Temasek is one of the potential investment partners Silver Lake has tapped to join.

A Temasek spokesman declined to comment on market speculation.

Buyout firm Silver Lake Partners has tapped Credit Suisse, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays and RBC to finance a potential deal as talks to take Dell private advance, sources have previously said.

A second source aware of Temasek's strategy said a company like Dell does not fit into the firm's investment themes. Temasek's four themes are Transforming Economies, Growing Middle Income Populations, Deepening Comparative Advantages and Emerging Champions.

"If you look at the themes, whether it is the growing middle income class or transforming economies, Dell is not an obvious thing for (Temasek) to look at," the source said.

Of Temasek's S$198 billion ($162 billion) portfolio, about 70 percent of investments are in Asia.

($1 = 1.22 Singapore dollars)