Sun Xueling

Mr Speaker Sir, I have spoken to groups who have the whole spectrum of views on this subject, often strongly held with regards to 377A, given my roles at the Ministry of Social and Family Development, Ministry of Home Affairs and previously the Ministry of Education. I would like to share on the engagements and the feedback from all these various groups and individuals.

First, I have met with groups such as Young Out Here, Greenhouse, Oogachaga, Sayoni, T Project and others who run support groups to help LGBTQ+ individuals. These ground up initiatives provide a safe space for their community to come together and support one another, where they can be seen and heard, where they are not treated as invisible and where they will not be judged.

I understand that to the gay community, section 377A, while not actively enforced, is seen as society's judgement of them. A rejection of their right to exist criminalises their right to love and be loved in return and makes them feel like a lesser citizen. It also hangs like the sword of Democles over them, since the law exists and reminds them that they are criminals even when what they are engaging in is a private consensual act between two adults.

LGBTQ+ individuals may also suffer from stigma, discrimination and be disproportionately impacted by mental health concerns. At T Project's shelter for their community, I saw how a small shelter for six persons was stacked with suitcases and personal items of about another ten individuals. The owners of these items have no permanent abode and move from place to place as their life is often complicated by mental stress, poverty and unemployment.

In conversations with Greenhouse, which runs a support group for 200 plus gay individuals, some shared that they have struggled since young to find acceptance from their family, but love and acceptance was not forthcoming. This has consequences on their physical and mental health, ability to find and hold a job and increases their risk of committing offences and suffering from substance addiction. They shared that substance addiction becomes a coping mechanism for them when they are unable to find acceptance in society.

We understand their concerns and are working with social service agencies to be open and sensitive to the diverse needs of clients, and to provide social support regardless their backgrounds and sexual orientations. At the same time, I have also spoken to many individuals who are worried about where our society is headed should 377A be repealed.

In an engagement with over 100 members of the public who had written to their MPs, some youths recounted how they had experienced being ostracised or cancelled in schools and universities because they were seen to be conservative and not advocating gay rights. Others spoke about how they were singled out at their workplaces because they are religious and by default seem to be homophobic and therefore at odds with the company's diversity and inclusion policies.

I saw a grandmother's hand trembling as she spoke about her grave concerns should Singapore go down the slippery slope as some other countries have after decriminalising gay sex. I would like to clarify that employees are protected against discrimination under the tripartite guidelines for fair employment practices, and these guidelines require employers to make employment decisions based on merit and factors relevant to the job. The Ministry of Manpower is also looking at enacting workplace fairness legislation. On being cancelled for one's beliefs, the Government is looking into policy solutions to preserve space for persons of different views to share what they think safely. But ultimately, what is important is that we maintain mutual respect when we engage with one another and not tear each other down.

I also met with leaders of religious groups, some of them four to five times. They have been steadfast partners in our nation-building. They have worked tirelessly to bring Singaporeans from different races and religions together to build common spaces and common values. The religious leaders shared views from their communities on 377A, views anchored on hopes for Singapore to continue to be strong and stable and a place for families.

Many of their congregants have a great sense of gratitude and pride in how far our nation has come and wish for nothing more than for our children and future generations to thrive and prosper. And they see the heterosexual family unit as the bedrock of our society.

Mr Speaker Sir, all these individuals, gay or straight, from different walks of life, have stepped forward to share their views because they want to make Singapore a better place, a better place for future generations to safeguard Singapore society and safeguard a community. And I want to thank them for being considered in their approach and for sharing the views of their communities in a constructive manner.

We have heard their views and will continue to work with them to navigate a way forward. The two bills that stand before us today allow us to repeal 377A in a careful and considered way. The issue that stands before us is one of public policy, as to whether gay sex in the context of private sexual behaviour between consenting adults should remain a crime under Singapore laws.

Having heard the views from various parties, the two bills have been drafted with great care and aim to address their concerns. A, that the majority of Singaporeans still want the heterosexual family structure as norm. B, most accept that private consensual sex between men should not be criminalised. C, for those who are against the repeal, the main concern is about what the repeal would mean for social norms and not that they want to criminalise sex between men.

Though the bills are voted on separately, they should be seen holistically because this is not a zero-sum game, where one side wins and the other side loses. And in the spirit of how the two bills are drafted, we hope that Singaporeans, with all their varied views on the issue, can be united in our desire to find common ground so that we can move forward together.

Let us be united in wanting Singapore to be a home for all, a tolerant and inclusive society where all Singaporeans feel a sense of dignity and have collective confidence in our future.

Mr Speaker Sir, in Chinese please.

In 2007, Mr Lee made a statement in the Parliament that the government decided to keep the 377A bill, but would not be active in implementing it. The decision was based on the social reaction of the people at the time, and was a temporary and neutral solution. But the legislation and the law cannot be completely consistent without abolishing the 377A bill. Abolishing the 377A bill can achieve a unified implementation, and make legislation and law more consistent, clear and transparent.

In this regard, just as the 377A bill may be deemed to be against the Constitution in court, Singapore's definition of marriage may also face similar challenges, and may threaten the laws and policies related to marriage. This is why we are now proposing that while abolishing the 377A bill, the government should change the constitution, clarify that the government has the right to make laws to define and protect the marriage system, and that the marriage system and the laws and policies related to it should not be challenged in the constitution.

In the past few months, the government and the people of all walks of life have conducted many exchanges on the 377A bill. According to the feedback from the various circles, most people support the abolishment of the 377A bill. Of course, there are also some two-dimensional views in the exchanges. For example, some people think that homosexuality is immoral, and some people hope that the homosexual community will gain more rights. The society has different and opposing views, and it is not necessarily a bad thing. Singapore is a multicultural society, with diverse religions and cultures, but we can all coexist in harmony. This is what makes Singaporean Singaporean.

Everyone has a different family background, different cultures, and different education. Some people may have different views on a particular issue. Some people are worried that homosexuality will cause social problems. But we also see that some of them need social understanding and help. I once visited a housing association that provides help to homosexual people. Some of them have not been accepted by their families since they were young. Then they encountered various problems in life, such as bullying, psychological health, and economic problems. Some people feel more and more helpless when facing life. These people are also Singaporean compatriots.

We don't have to live in the way of others, but we don't have to ask others to live in our way. We should not be afraid of anything, and we should not lose anything. Tolerance is the antidote to differences. I hope that people with different views can have a concept of tolerance, understanding, letting go of differences, and seeking consensus.

During my time in the Chinese society, I learned that many people value traditional values of family. They don't want to change the family concept of Singaporeans by abolishing the 377A. I agree with this view. Family is the cornerstone of society. When the family is stable, the society is stable too. One of the first laws passed by the People's Action Party government after the ruling was the 1961 Women's Constitution. This is a law that protects the right to women's rights. It only allows the legalization of the marriage between men and women.

After that, the government has always supported Singaporean families through various policies. For example, married families have always been given priority in getting public housing and related subsidies. The release of the baby bonus is also encouraging marriage and fertility. The Ministry of Social and Family Development also actively advocates the importance of education and emphasizes family through public education projects. We understand the problems faced by different families, such as single families and divorced families. The Ministry of Social and Family Development will also do its best to help them.

For the marriage system, we need to maintain it, not overturn it. This is beneficial to the continuation of policies and social stability. Otherwise, the current policies and laws related to marriage, including the policy of child red, and the government housing, may face challenges in the court in the future. This will make the problem very complicated.

Some may ask, now the people may be more concerned about the rising prices and housing prices. Why are we discussing the issue of 377A at this moment? What I need to clarify here is that the government is very concerned about the problem of public housing. At present, we are doing our best to deal with it. For example, 2.9 million people will receive the pension and housing allowance next month to reduce the burden on the life of their country. The government just announced the additional $1.5B of housing allowance last month, to deal with the global inflation and the pressure on Singapore.

In order to solve these important issues of public housing, the government also needs to solve other issues. The repeal of 377A and the maintenance of the marriage system also concern the lives of Singaporeans. They also need our attention. We not only need to solve the problem of public housing, but also the problem of public health. So that every Singaporean can live with dignity and hope.

The global inflation that I mentioned earlier is an important reason. The current international situation is very unstable. The Sino-US relations are continuously tense. The Russian-Japanese war has been going on for more than half a year. The raw material prices of oil and other materials have risen significantly. When the international environment is unstable, we must maintain stability within Singapore.

Today, we have also proposed two amendments. I hope that everyone can see the government's hard work. The two amendments are like two ends of the sky, one is missing, the other is not. This is to maintain the stability and stability of society. On the one hand, the repeal of 377A will better protect individual freedom and rights, and reduce the pressure on homosexuals in society. On the other hand, maintaining the marriage system will keep relevant laws and policies stable, and reduce the concerns of the various ethnic groups.

Therefore, I hope that everyone can see these two amendments with tolerance and balance, unite and move forward together. In addition, I would also like to thank the Chinese people who often maintain tolerance when facing many social problems, emphasizing that all parties of society should respect each other, seek to coexist, and live in harmony.

Some parents may have some concerns about the repeal of 377A. For example, I don't know if it will affect the social environment. Regarding the social environment, in public, whether it is between men and women or between homosexuals, excessive intimate behavior is inappropriate. The social environment is not just based on laws. The social environment requires the reconciliation of society, family, education, and other aspects. We need to make an extra effort.

I also know that parents love their children very much, hoping that they can grow up in a healthy and harmonious environment, find their ideal partner, and enjoy the happiness of heaven in the future. I want to say that tolerance is not just about encouraging. We tolerate the behavior of homosexuals and propose to abolish 377A, and not criminalise the behavior of homosexuals.

But this is not about encouraging a certain lifestyle or a certain social environment. The two proposals I proposed today are not easy to follow. Singapore is a multicultural society with diverse religions, diverse races, and diverse cultures. Every race and religious group has its own practices, customs, regulations, beliefs, and beliefs. It is not easy to bring such a diverse society together. Therefore, the government has always emphasized that we should not distinguish between race, language, and religion, and maintain common space, and cultivate the importance of good citizens and maintaining equal principles.

Only in this way can we unite and work for the progress of the country. Abolishing the 377A bill is a difficult decision. We have made the greatest efforts to find a solution that can balance and harmonize the whole society. However, there are still some people who are not satisfied. But we must make a correct decision, a decision that is responsible for Singaporeans. We propose to abolish 377A to achieve the goal of understanding and unity, while maintaining the marriage system, not subvert it. The two are the same, to maintain freedom and stability. It is like the two ends of the horizon, one cannot be missing. We must try to find the balance and harmony of the whole society.

I hope that you can see the efforts and efforts of the government on this issue. I also call on you to continue to respect each other, to let go of differences, and to find consensus and tolerance for each other. We will continue to move forward hand in hand with the people of the country, to try to maintain unity and maintain the harmony and prosperity of Singaporean society.

Thank you.