Bloomberg asks Lawrence Wong about repeal of Section 377A

Описание: On Monday, 15 August 2022, Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait interviewed Singapore's 49-year old finance minister and premier-in-waiting Lawrence Wong. One of the issues he raised was Section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalised sex between men.
Transcript:
Micklethwait: Another issue with foreign companies which Nancy Pelosi did bring up is Singapore's Section 377A which is the one which criminalises sex between men. When is that rule going to go?
Wong: Well, that's something for Singapore and for Singaporeans to decide. It's something that we have been discussing. It's one of those issues that has to be managed, dealt with carefully, sensitively because it pertains to our social values and norms. And we have been doing this for a range of different issues, whether it's race or religion, or whether it's regarding sexuality. We know that these issues are issues where different segments of society hold deep, deep views and sometimes opposing views. And our way of addressing these sorts of issues is really to engage the different groups and see if we can work out some common understanding, some way of having mutual accommodation and compromise without causing deep polarisations and divisions in our society, or deeper polarisatians and divisions. So that's a process that we are are undertaking right now.
Micklethwait: Personally, you are a modern man, you've studied abroad, you've studied at Harvard, you're cosmopolitan. It must be very embarrassing having a law like that when you're trying to bring people to come to Singapore.
Wong: Sure, I mean we all understand the history and the reason why this law was in place. It's not something that the government in Singapore introduced. It was a legacy as a British colony and we know that over the years, many Asian countries which had this legacy as former British colonies have repealed the law. So we understand that but we also know that in Singapore, there are many segments who feel that it's not just about the law, but the law is a marker for other things, things that they care about, about society, societal values about family, about marriage. So it's not about the law per se about but these other things and that's why, as I mentioned just now, we are having this conversation even right now, engaging different groups and considering how best we might move forward in a way that will not cause deep divisions in our society.
Micklethwait: Does that refer, to put that in another way, that you personally seem in favor of the law going but you think you need to bring Singapore with you to do it.
Wong: Well, we will explain all that in due course like as I said just now, it's a live issue for us because we are in the midst of discussing and engaging different segments of society on this.
Micklethwait: ...which I know comes up a lot again with foreign companies but also anybody trying to hire people in Singapore, is this point about visas for same-sex spouses. If somebody is married to someone legally in most of the world or a lot of the world, they can't then, that spouse, them can't come to Singapore under the same visa, which Hong Kong does. Hong Kong is a best scenario. Hong Kong is more progressive than you are. Can you give any reassurance on that being changed?
Wong: We have seen some of their feedback for people who have faced difficulties with partners. I think we have been able to deal with some of their on a case-by-case basis but the broader issue, as I mentioned just now, and that's why the feedback you mention is an example of this, a broader issue is not about 377A, It's about how we organise ourselves as a society whether or not values around families, around marriage will be changed and that, those are the concerns that the larger segment of Singaporeans are concerned about. And that's why this engagement in this conversation that we're having now with these different segments of society are important.
Micklethwait: Do you have any evidence that most Singaporeans are against getting rid of the law or is it just a substantial minority is against it?
Wong: As I highlighted two issues, separate but sometimes conflated in people's minds, the law is one matter and views on the law and criminalisation of homosexual behavior certainly has evolved, has changed. But there are also views around family and marriage which is different from the first matter which I highlighted. Sometimes they are conflated but actually they are two separate matters. But people do feel strongly about the latter on family values and marriage, and as I mentioned just now, we will have to engage them and consider how best to move forward on this matter recognising that people in Singapore hold very strong views, and sometimes these are opposing views.
Links:
https://the-singapore-lgbt-encyclopaedia.f...
https://the-singapore-lgbt-encyclopaedia.f...