The imminent move to repeal Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises sex between men, has been a hot topic ever since Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong made the announcement on Sunday (21 Aug).
While the LGBTQ community is celebrating the historic decision, there is also disappointment that the government will continue to only recognise marriages between a man and a woman.
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong explained the reason for this in a recent interview with Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
He said that the move to repeal Section 377A while protecting the definition of marriage is a way of achieving a balance that “reflects societal attitudes while preserving unity”.
On Monday (Aug 22), Mr Wong and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong sat down for an interview with CNA to discuss the Section 377A repeal.
Source: CNA on YouTube
Speaking on whether he thinks there’s a “political price” to pay for repealing 377A, Mr Wong said that he knows that in government,
You can’t please everyone all of the time. You have to focus on doing what is right.
In this case, they’re trying to do a “limited, controlled repeal of 377A” and “achieve a new balance that reflects societal attitudes while preserving unity” at the same time.
He believes that most Singaporeans will accept the move to decriminalise sexual relations between consenting adults in private.
But at the same time, the government is upholding the country’s current family and social norms, which is what most Singaporeans want as well.
Still, Mr Wong acknowledges that this proposal won’t make everybody happy — some will want them to go further, while others will say they’re going too far.
“But in the end, the government has to make a judgement and do what we think is right for the wider good of Singapore and Singaporeans,” he stated.
Mr Wong went on to say that it’s impossible for any group to have everything they want, especially in societies with diverse and sometimes opposing views.
“We have to learn to compromise, to arrive at solutions where most people are comfortable with and live harmoniously together,” he said.
He added that this is how Singapore has always dealt with sensitive issues, and how it can continue to do so while keeping the social fabric intact.
Mr Wong later reiterated that the government will continue to uphold family-centred policies, including the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.
He noted that PM Lee himself made this very clear during his National Day Rally (NDR) speech.
“So this will not change under the watch of the current Prime Minister, and it will not happen under my watch if the PAP were to win the next General Election,” said Mr Wong.
Likewise, laws and policies that rely on the traditional definition of marriage will not change. These include those related to public housing, adoption, education, advertising standards, and film classification.
Basically, the overall tone of our society will not change. Our laws and policies will remain the same.
But regardless of whether one is pro-LGBT or anti-LGBT, Mr Wong emphasised that there should never be any room for any negative behaviour.
He pointed out that there have been concerns about the “excesses of activism and advocacy” on both sides. Some people have claimed that they faced discrimination and harassment for practising their faith and beliefs.
To combat this, the government will be monitoring this very closely and take action against such acts of discrimination and harassment.
Mr Wong said that there is “no place for such behaviour in Singapore”, adding that,
No one should feel threatened because of their religious affiliation. No one should feel threatened because they are LGBT.
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Featured image adapted from Pink Dot SG on Facebook & CNA on YouTube.
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