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Updated Tuesday, July 7, 2009 9:55 am TWN, AP Singapore plans to keep gay sex ban: reportThe state-owned New Paper quoted Law Minister K. Shanmugam as saying the law will remain because most Singaporeans don't accept homosexuality. However, Shanmugam pledged the government would not enforce the law. “We sometimes in these things have to accept a bit of messiness,” Shanmugam told a neighborhood residents' meeting, according to the paper. “The way the society is going, we don't think it's fair for us to prosecute people who say that they are homosexual.” The Delhi High Court ruled last week that treating consensual gay sex between adults as a crime is a violation of fundamental rights protected by India's constitution. The ruling, the first of its kind in India, is not binding outside New Delhi. Under Singaporean law, sex between homosexuals is punishable by two years in jail. Singapore legalized oral and anal sex between heterosexual couples in 2007. Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here Comments |
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There is no majority in Singapore that accepts all kinds of things, such as (in regards to religion) Jesus as savior or the Buddha's teachings or the gods of Hinduism. Most Singaporeans may or may not accept another race as their equal or another language.
But Singapore is a diverse society. Ultimately, the only road to peace and true harmony is for the government to set the example of respecting all members of society as equals.
Expecting same-sex couples to live secret lives under threat of an outdated law is no different than if the government were to tell Tamils that they must not let their language be heard in public or to tell Hindus that they must not mention their religion so as not to "offend" monotheists.
If the government does not set the example of treating all citizens with equal respect, this only legitimizes negative and discriminatory attitudes among others in society.
Singapore should move into the 21st century and rid itself of outdated and discriminatory laws that were imposed by a colonial power that no longer exists. The rest of the developed world has moved on and so should Singapore.