LGBTQ issues: MHA cautions foreign businesses on advocacy of 'divisive' topics
US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi meet with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore on 1 August, 2022 as part of her official visit to Asia. (PHOTOS: Reuters, Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
SINGAPORE — Foreign businesses are reminded to be careful about advocacy on issues in Singapore that could be socially divisive, including those pertaining to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The ministry was responding on Thursday (4 August) to media queries arising from United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's call for the business community in Singapore to support the LGBTQ community here, with more American businesses establishing offices in the city-state.
In its statement, MHA reiterated that while such businesses are free to promote diversity in their companies, they should be careful about advocating such issues.
"These are matters for Singaporeans to discuss and come to a consensus on how to move forward," MHA added.
Pelosi and her delegation was in Singapore on Monday for the first stop of her Asia tour, before making a visit to Taiwan that was condemned by China.
During her visit here, she met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and called on President Halimah Yacob at the Istana. She also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, as well as Senior Ministers Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
According to a statement issued by Pelosi’s press office after her visit to Singapore, Pelosi and her delegation had "engaged with leaders of the business community and underscored the importance of public-private sector collaboration to foster strong economic growth across the region".
"We asked for their support for the LGBTQ community in Singapore, as more American businesses are establishing and adding offices in Singapore," it added.
Singapore is home to nearly 5,500 US companies, said PM Lee in a speech made last August during a visit to Singapore by US Vice-President Kamala Harris.
With US$315 billion (S$434 billion) in investments in Singapore – amounting to more than its investments in China, India, and South Korea combined – the US is the city-state's largest foreign direct investor.
