Singapore set to decriminalise homosexuality
mambaonline.comThe decriminalisation of homosexuality by Singapore could have a major impact in the region Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says it is time to repeal the nation’s law that criminalises same-sex activity between men. Loong made the ground-breaking announcement in a speech at the country’s National Day Rally on Sunday.
If implemented, this will repeal Section 377A, a colonial-era law that criminalises acts of ‘gross indecency’ between men. “Like every human society, we also have gay people in our midst.
They are our fellow Singaporeans. They are our colleagues, our friends, our family members. They too want to live their own lives, participate in our community, and contribute fully to Singapore,” said the prime minister. “We need to find the right way to reconcile and accommodate both the traditional mores of our society, and the aspiration of gay Singaporeans to be respected and accepted.” Loong asserted that “From the national point of view, private sexual behaviour between consenting adults does not raise any law-and-order issue.
There is no justification to prosecute people for it, nor to make it a crime.” He continued: “For these reasons, the government will repeal S377A and decriminalise sex between men.
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