'If you want to be homosexual, do it privately': Tan Kin Lian raises eyebrows with comments on LGBT community

From the 'pretty girls' Facebook posts debacle to his unhappiness over his recent broadcast message, Tan Kin Lian has sparked controversy during this Presidential Election.

The presidential candidate's recent comments on the LGBT community are also raising eyebrows on social media.

In an interview with Yah Lah But podcast, uploaded on YouTube on Monday (Aug 21), Tan was asked about the concerns of minority groups such as the LGBT community in Singapore.

While the 75-year-old described his views as "quite flexible", Tan said he has a "suspicion" that these matters of diversity and differences should not be given too much attention. 

"If you want to be a homosexual, do it privately. If you want to do it outwardly, then you actually cause problems with younger people and so on," he said.

"So I hold the view that for LGBT, it's better that you do it privately. We don't disturb you, you know."

Tan said that those from the LGBT community shouldn't bring their views into the public, since "there are other people who find it quite difficult, for religious and other reasons".

"So when the LGBT community wants to be more visible, I think that is not necessary and is not useful," he added.

When asked if Tan's comments on LGBT were going against how the Government had repealed Section 377A, he replied that he agrees with that move.

"But I think the community shouldn't push things too far. If they live their lives in private, they should be free from harassment, that I'm quite clear about," said Tan.

After Tan's quotes from the podcast were shared on the Wake Up Singapore Instagram page, several netizens criticised his views on the LGBT community.

"Boomers like him shouldn't tell people how to live," one of them said.

"I guess he's losing his deposit again," another said, referring to how Tan had lost his $48,000 deposit in the 2011 Presidential Election.

But several netizens praised his honesty in commenting on other hot button issues discussed in the podcast, such as the recent Ridout Road saga and the resignations of PAP MPs.

What other presidential candidates have said about LGBT issues

When asked about Tan's LGBT comments, presidential candidate Ng Kok Song said that he shares the views of Pope Francis.

In a doorstep interview on Thursday, Ng, who is a devout Catholic, said that such issues are a very personal matter.

"Who are we to judge? Pope Francis himself was echoing what Jesus said: Judge not lest ye be judged," the 75-year-old said.

Speaking at an election meeting on Friday, Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that rushing LGBT matters is "too risky". 

"The reality is we are not a society where there's a common view on this," he said. 

Tharman, 66, mentioned how there are generational and religious differences amid Singapore's "multi-phase society" and explained that "moving too quickly in shifting social norms is very likely to lead to a pushback, to people feeling provoked and leading to more dissention in society". 

Instead, social norms should evolve at a tempo that is to be determined by society and future generations, Tharman said.

ALSO READ: Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian says he will bring up concerns on CPF, NS with Govt if elected

chingshijie@asiaone.com