Efforts at Engaging Different Groups for Best Way Forward for Section 377A of Penal Code
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the Government's engagement with various groups to determine the best way forward regarding Section 377A of the Penal Code. Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked how the Government is consulting stakeholders to address shifting societal attitudes toward homosexuality. Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam responded that the Government is speaking with diverse groups to balance viewpoints between maintaining heterosexual marriage as a societal bedrock and decriminalising private consensual sex between men. He stated that these views will be carefully considered to assess a path that balances different perspectives. The Minister also invited other political parties to clarify their stances, as the Government seeks to understand the breadth of opinions on the matter.
Transcript
23 Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for Home Affairs how the Government is and will be engaging different groups when considering the best way forward on section 377A of the Penal Code.
The Minister for Home Affairs (Mr K Shanmugam): Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for the question. As I mentioned in Parliament on 3 March this year, since the issue of section 377A was last discussed in Parliament in 2007, societal attitudes towards homosexuality have gradually shifted.
There are, currently, two main viewpoints on this issue and many subsidiary viewpoints. As I said in Parliament, there are two main viewpoints. On the one hand, the vast majority of Singaporeans are of the view that heterosexual marriage, between a man and a woman, must remain the bedrock of our society. On the other hand, many Singaporeans, including some of those who believe in the traditional family structure, feel that private consensual sex between men should not be criminalised.
The Government has been and will be speaking with diverse groups of Singaporeans to better understand their viewpoints. We will consider the various views carefully and assess the best way forward that tries to balance the different viewpoints.
Mr Speaker, Ms Hazel Poa has asked a related question for written answer at this Sitting. Since this is an important issue, I would like to invite Ms Hazel Poa, or any other Parliamentarian from her Party, basically Mr Leong Mun Wai, to state her or their Party’s position on section 377A. It will be good to know.
Mr Speaker: Ms Hazel Poa or Mr Leong Mun Wai?
Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): As the Minister has pointed out, there are two different camps with different views on this particular issue. For us, within the Party itself, we also have people with different views. So, this is not an issue that we actually have a consensus on at this moment in time.
Mr Speaker: Minister Shanmugam.
Mr K Shanmugam: There are many different ways of saying "I don't know", so I assume that Ms Poa is saying either the Party has no position or they do not know what their position is. Thank you, Sir.