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Ho Kwon Ping: Let's Accept Gays, Abolish S.377A!

Porfirio Rubirosa

Alfrescian
Loyal
Stop making A mockery of rule of law: Let’s accept gays
Why keep such an archaic statute when there’s no intention to prosecute?


HO KWON PING


[email protected]


.
.
SINGAPORE is known to be economically liberal, but socially conservative. It is a rules-governed society with clear parameters for behaviour, whether political, economic, or social. And within the “OB markers” (out-of-bounds markers) of these do’s and don’ts, it is a transparent and fair social order, with no favouritism for anyone operating outside the parameters.
.
This state of affairs governed the issue of homosexuality in Singapore for many years. Not only was gay sex illegal, but every manifestation was openly discouraged — some would say suppressed — and discrimination against gays in the public domain (the civil service, the military, the police, schools, and so on) was commonly accepted. Indeed, because it was public policy to promote heterosexual family life as the only norm, any other lifestyle was considered deviant and handled accordingly. Repressive though it certainly was to gays, it was at least very predictable.
.
Today, official attitudes towards homosexuality in Singapore are quite different. They are certainly ambivalent and ambiguous — some would even say, schizophrenic. On the one hand, many gay Singaporeans are feted and lauded for their creative contributions to Singapore, and warmly accepted by even senior figures of the establishment. On the other hand, gay sex remains a criminal activity, even after much public debate on the issue, and any kind of activity which is seen to promote a gay lifestyle remains off-limits.
.
To those who believe that the non-persecution of gays is already something to be grateful for, one could argue that allowing a black person to sit in the front of the bus while legally forbidding it, is something to be grateful for. Or, in an analogy closer to home for the supposedly homophobic heartlanders, should a Chinese person be grateful if the edict forbidding Chinese and dogs to enter parks in Shanghai in the ’20s were relaxed in reality, but maintained in the law?
.
At another level, my gay friends argue cogently that non-prosecution (or non-persecution, for that matter) signals, at the most, simple tolerance of them, and nothing more. There is a difference between being tolerated because gays are seen to be at the leading edge of the “creative class” — which Singapore is trying to develop as part of its new knowledge-based, creativity-oriented economy — and being accepted because of the recognition that fundamental human rights and the dignity of the individual extends to gays as much as to anyone else.
.
The somewhat schizophrenic decision to not prosecute an illegal activity has ramifications beyond the gay community, and has disturbed some sections of the larger community, which is not particularly interested in gay issues.
.
To many thoughtful citizens, Singapore has always openly claimed that the Rule of Law, possibly even more than the formal mechanisms of democracy, is a vital component of good governance. Yet, to criminalise gay sex and, in the same breath, state that anyone breaching this law will not be prosecuted, makes a mockery of the Rule of Law.
.
Minor though this violation of the principle may be, the proponents of the concept that the Rule of Law is a sacrosanct pillar of the Singapore ethos lament that the Government did not take the bold step to simply decriminalise something which the rest of the developed world has long decriminalised; which most Singaporeans (except, perhaps, the most fervently fundamentalist Christians or Muslims) don’t care that much about one way or the other; which the police, courts, and legal community would welcome simply to remove an archaic, Victorian-era statute; and finally, which the gay community would embrace as an important signal that their right to privacy — a fundamental human right — is considered to be more important than the right of anti-gay groups to proselytise about morality.
.
Optimists hope that the decriminalisation of gay sex — a yawn to anyone except the homophobic and the gays themselves — will eventually occur. In reality, rather than in law, gays in Singapore today have never had it so good, and should within a short time, become fully-accepted — not just tolerated — members of an increasingly diverse, and therefore vibrant, Singapore community.
.
But if we pat ourselves on the back for being so “bold” as to accept casinos and Formula 1 events into staid Singapore, why can’t the boldness extend to a simple act to enable gays to realise their dream — indeed, their simple right — to be normal Singaporeans like anyone else, no more and no less.
.
.
The writer is chairman ofSingapore Management University,executive chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings and chairman of MediaCorp.
 

The_Latest_H

Alfrescian
Loyal
i wonder how the religious zealots would respond to this... :confused:

To be honest, with or without the anti-sodomy law, gays will have sex behind closed doors, let it be overseas or in Singapore. Because if gays zip up about their sex life, and don't like the straights know, no-one can sabotage the others.

So in the end, the sodomy law is a bit pointless. But there will be opposition from both secular, conservative people and groups and their religious counterparts for sure. But in my opinion, changing the law, or repelling probably would not push the STD rate up.

Besides, when it comes to HIV and other STDs, heterosexual sex by straight people still forms the majority of infection. So its better to focus on contraceptives, abstinence and proper sex education for pre-teens, teens and even young adults instead.
 

zhihau

Super Moderator
SuperMod
Asset
... To be honest, with or without the anti-sodomy law, gays will have sex behind closed doors, let it be overseas or in Singapore ...

the ostrich thinks that if its head is burrowed into the ground, no one can see it already... :biggrin:
 

BlueCat

Alfrescian
Loyal
maybe he is also one of them,thatz why he supports it.
why not ask his wife - Lily Neo (i think so) to show him the support by champion it in the parliament. that will be interesting to see.
 

pia

Alfrescian
Loyal
maybe he is also one of them,thatz why he supports it.
why not ask his wife - Lily Neo (i think so) to show him the support by champion it in the parliament. that will be interesting to see.

It's Claire Chiang, bro :p
 

zack123

Alfrescian
Loyal
I believe Sporeans have already accepted homosexuality with the number of gay partners roaming openly in Singapore. I haven't heard of anyone in Spore being arrested for sodomy during consensual sex.

But i believe the law will stay to reflect Spore's need for proper family and to respect the religious beliefs of the residents.
 

cowbehcowbu

Alfrescian
Loyal
Does Ho mind if his own son is being couched by gay teacher and/or tuitor??.....
All religions dont accept sodomy..and nature dont make humans/animals like that...do you see male animals practice sodomy??no..bcos it is against natural instint....so is gay a sickness or genetic deficiency?
The points is we can accept people with defects in minds and .body..behavarial...but we dont AACEPT that that should be the norm to be encouraged..in our society....
Even the vast majority of whites in the west dont accept legalising such unnatural human behavior...we in singapore being mainly Asian and Eastern in values and culture..should accept..ever....we dont discriminate any deficiency in the human race and social behavior....BUT we must stick to what nature mean us to be......
 

cleareyes

Alfrescian
Loyal
Stop making A mockery of rule of law: Let’s accept gays
Why keep such an archaic statute when there’s no intention to prosecute?


HO KWON PING


[email protected]


.
.
SINGAPORE is known to be economically liberal, but socially conservative. It is a rules-governed society with clear parameters for behaviour, whether political, economic, or social. And within the “OB markers” (out-of-bounds markers) of these do’s and don’ts, it is a transparent and fair social order, with no favouritism for anyone operating outside the parameters.
.
This state of affairs governed the issue of homosexuality in Singapore for many years. Not only was gay sex illegal, but every manifestation was openly discouraged — some would say suppressed — and discrimination against gays in the public domain (the civil service, the military, the police, schools, and so on) was commonly accepted. Indeed, because it was public policy to promote heterosexual family life as the only norm, any other lifestyle was considered deviant and handled accordingly. Repressive though it certainly was to gays, it was at least very predictable.
.
Today, official attitudes towards homosexuality in Singapore are quite different. They are certainly ambivalent and ambiguous — some would even say, schizophrenic. On the one hand, many gay Singaporeans are feted and lauded for their creative contributions to Singapore, and warmly accepted by even senior figures of the establishment. On the other hand, gay sex remains a criminal activity, even after much public debate on the issue, and any kind of activity which is seen to promote a gay lifestyle remains off-limits.
.
To those who believe that the non-persecution of gays is already something to be grateful for, one could argue that allowing a black person to sit in the front of the bus while legally forbidding it, is something to be grateful for. Or, in an analogy closer to home for the supposedly homophobic heartlanders, should a Chinese person be grateful if the edict forbidding Chinese and dogs to enter parks in Shanghai in the ’20s were relaxed in reality, but maintained in the law?
.
At another level, my gay friends argue cogently that non-prosecution (or non-persecution, for that matter) signals, at the most, simple tolerance of them, and nothing more. There is a difference between being tolerated because gays are seen to be at the leading edge of the “creative class” — which Singapore is trying to develop as part of its new knowledge-based, creativity-oriented economy — and being accepted because of the recognition that fundamental human rights and the dignity of the individual extends to gays as much as to anyone else.
.
The somewhat schizophrenic decision to not prosecute an illegal activity has ramifications beyond the gay community, and has disturbed some sections of the larger community, which is not particularly interested in gay issues.
.
To many thoughtful citizens, Singapore has always openly claimed that the Rule of Law, possibly even more than the formal mechanisms of democracy, is a vital component of good governance. Yet, to criminalise gay sex and, in the same breath, state that anyone breaching this law will not be prosecuted, makes a mockery of the Rule of Law.
.
Minor though this violation of the principle may be, the proponents of the concept that the Rule of Law is a sacrosanct pillar of the Singapore ethos lament that the Government did not take the bold step to simply decriminalise something which the rest of the developed world has long decriminalised; which most Singaporeans (except, perhaps, the most fervently fundamentalist Christians or Muslims) don’t care that much about one way or the other; which the police, courts, and legal community would welcome simply to remove an archaic, Victorian-era statute; and finally, which the gay community would embrace as an important signal that their right to privacy — a fundamental human right — is considered to be more important than the right of anti-gay groups to proselytise about morality.
.
Optimists hope that the decriminalisation of gay sex — a yawn to anyone except the homophobic and the gays themselves — will eventually occur. In reality, rather than in law, gays in Singapore today have never had it so good, and should within a short time, become fully-accepted — not just tolerated — members of an increasingly diverse, and therefore vibrant, Singapore community.
.
But if we pat ourselves on the back for being so “bold” as to accept casinos and Formula 1 events into staid Singapore, why can’t the boldness extend to a simple act to enable gays to realise their dream — indeed, their simple right — to be normal Singaporeans like anyone else, no more and no less.
.
.
The writer is chairman ofSingapore Management University,executive chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings and chairman of MediaCorp.

Something is very very wrong here.

Either one of the minister or MP is gay and had openly admit and hence now PAP has to change the rules, or one of their sons are gay or..... THEY ARE TRYING TO GET GAY SUPPORT..WHICH THE NUMBER IS NOT GETTING ANY SMALLER.
 

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
I was wondering who among the 5 would up the ante after the string of revelations from Dr Lee. He sure chose the least political issue but nevertheless a burning issue of recent times.

A classic case of having your cake and eating it.

Lets see who among the 6 would bring up the GIC/temasek debacles and the role of Ho ching.
 

Patriot

Alfrescian
Loyal
Homosexuality is against the natural order; to put it crudely, the anus is never meant to be penetrated by the penis.

Acceptance of homosexuals as fellow human beings does not mean that we should condone nor accept their abnormal sexual preference and life style.

Once you abolish s.377A, the floodgates will be opened. Next, the homosexuals will demand the right to be married, adopt children, and what have you, as have happened in some other places in the world.
 

NissanViP

Alfrescian
Loyal
Relax the gay act, let them live on their own world so long they do not promote it.

One thing good to relax this act, they can screw every govt staff/Ministers/MP's asshole in real life and thats including LHL pinky asshole too (since he also walk like gay).

I think pinky-assloong sure gets to enjoy his ass ram by gays.
 

DrPanacea

Alfrescian
Loyal
HKP is trying to reopen the can of worms. If 377A is repeal...what next? Gay marriage? Gay divorces? Gay matrimonial support? And I always thought HKP was a wise man!
 
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