PUBLISHED ONNovember 28, 2022 12:01 PMByChing Shi JieA month after Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam introduced the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill to decriminalise sex between men, more than 20 Members of Parliament (MP) have followed it up with a debate in Parliament today (Nov 28).
On whether they agree or oppose the Bill, several MPs have called it the most difficult decision and speech that they have to make.
For Dennis Tan of the Workers' Party (WP), he shared that he found it difficult to support the repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code due to the removal of the symbolic social marker it represents.
This may be difficult for parents in setting down their family and social values at home, the MP for Hougang SMC said, adding that many residents also fear being "cancelled" for expressing their contrary views on sexuality after the repeal.
But his decision to oppose the repeal of Section 377A was made "with a heavy heart", he shared.
"This is both a most difficult decision and is the most difficult speech I have to make to date, given the divided issues at play for different segments of my constituents and for Singaporeans.
"I also have many friends and good friends who are from the LGBT community. [They have] shared with me some of their difficult experiences in life which makes my decision today even more difficult and humbling. I humbly seek their understanding," he said.
His fellow party member, Gerald Giam, also agreed that his speech on the gay sex law debate was the hardest he had to prepare.
The MP for Aljunied GRC said: "The final reason for the vote I am about to cast is that my conscience does not allow me to vote in favour of the repeal of Section 377A.
"It is important to me and the example I set for my children that I hold fast to the values that I have established to be true, without wavering because of political headwinds."
WP chief Pritam Singh had said in his speech that his party will be lifting the whip for this Parliament debate.
This is so that those who are not in favour of the Bill can have the "opportunity to vote freely", he said, adding that Faisal Manap (WP-Aljunied) also did not support the repeal as "a matter of religion and conscience".
The latter was not present for the debate as he had tested positive for Covid-19.
Pritam said: "Given the varied public opinion on the impending repeal of 377A, there is a risk that the democratic value of Parliament could be diluted if the views of Singaporeans on this subject are not adequately ventilated in this House.
"Not lifting the whip would deny WP MPs not in favour of a repeal of 377A the opportunity to vote freely and in doing so, to also represent Singaporeans who see this issue as a matter of deep religious belief and conscience."
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While Pritam supports the repeal of Section 377A, he shared that it "makes room" for shared public spaces, and for "members of the common Singaporean family" to not be discriminated against due to their sexual orientation.
He said: "Religious Singaporeans are free to maintain their beliefs about homosexuality, but this should not interfere with what is legal in our public sphere.
"Likewise, supporters of repeal have no business interfering with the private beliefs of religious Singaporeans."
Shortly after Pritam gave his speech, Murali Pillai of the People's Action Party (PAP) reiterated his party's earlier stance that it would not lift the whip for the debate on the repeal of Section 377A.
But the MP for Bukit Batok SMC added that it would not prevent him or any of his fellow party members from speaking their views.
Voicing his support for the repeal of Section 377A, Pillai said: "[It's] the right thing to do. Homosexual males in consenting relationships will no longer be viewed as criminals and we would have taken a decisive step in removing the stigma that they previously faced.
Given the socially divisive nature of 377A, Pillai suggested three points to help in "keeping things from boiling over".
These include recognising the distinction between public and private perspectives, that there must be a "secular approach to politics and governance", and people should be thoughtful and put themselves in the other person's shoes.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Sun Xueling shared that she had met with members from various LGBT groups and understood from them that Section 377A is like a rejection of their right to exist and makes them feel like a lesser citizen.
Sun also shared how she also spoke with members of the public who are worried about how society is headed with the repeal of the gay sex law.
She said: "Some youths recounted how they had experienced being ostracised or "cancelled" in schools and universities because they were seen to be "conservative" and not advocating gay rights.
"I [also] saw a grandmother's hand trembling, as she spoke about her grave concerns should Singapore go down the slippery slope as some other countries have after decriminalising gay sex."
Thanking all the members of the public - gay or straight - for sharing their views "in a constructive manner", Sun shared that the ministries have heard their views and will continue to work with them to navigate a way forward.
In a speech to Parliament earlier in the day, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam shared that "the time has come" to remove Section 377A because it humiliates and hurts gay people, and they do not deserve to be stigmatised for their sexual orientation.
Shanmugam said: "To a gay person, even if Section 377A is not enforced, it is there, memorialised in law, a sword hanging over his head, a daily reminder that every time he engages in private sexual activity behind closed doors in the sanctity of their bedrooms, he is nevertheless a criminal.
"We have to ask: Is it fair that gays have to live in this way?"
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The debate to repeal Section 377A comes after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that the Government will seek to repeal Section 377A of the Penal Code during his National Day Rally in August.
Acknowledging that attitudes towards homosexuality have also shifted appreciably, PM said at that time: "This will bring the law into line with current social mores, and I hope, provide some relief to gay Singaporeans."
The debate has been adjourned to noon tomorrow (Nov 29).
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