Singaporeans are asking why homosexual activity remains illegal in the country following India’s landmark Supreme Court ruling that declared that Section 377 of the penal code was unconstitutional because it violated an individuals right to privacy.
The identical law in Singapore holds the same statue number on the law books, Section 377 – as it was adopted from the same British Colonial laws. Earlier this year British Prime Minister Theresa May said the laws were wrong and Britain encouraged the nation’s around the world who still had them on the books to work towards removing the discrimination.
Yesterday one of Singapore’s top diplomats publicly encouraged the local LGBTIQ+ community to try once again to have the law overturned.
Tommy Koh, who is an Ambassador at large in the country’s foreign ministry said the law should be challenged.
“I would encourage our gay community to bring a class action to challenge the constitutionality of Section 377A,” Koh posted to social media. The top diplomat has previously been Singapore’s Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations.
When people comments that the law had previously been unsuccessfully challenged he told them to “Try again.” Koh was just one of several prominent Singaporean’s who have voiced support for the law being changed.
The country’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (pictured) has previously commented on the law saying that the country; “is not that liberal on these matters”.
In 2014 a challenge to the law was launched in the court system but the court ruled that the issue was a matter for the politicians. Yesterday Singapore’s Home Affairs and Law Minister said it should be decided by the people.
Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam said the issue was one for the people.
“If you look at the issue, it is a deeply split society.
“The majority are opposed to any change to Section 377A. They are opposed to removing it. Can you impose viewpoints on a majority when [the issue is] so closely related to social value systems?
“I think society has got to decide which direction it wants to go. And the laws will have to keep pace with changes in society and how society sees these issues.” Shanmugam said.
Singapore is one of many former British colonies that has maintained the law against same sex activity. Malaysia, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Grenada are just a few of the former colonies where homosexuality is still illegal.
OIP Staff
