TR EMERITUS

By Richard Lu There is an interesting, intense on-going discussion in the Temasek Review pages on Pastor Rony Tan’s views and comments on lesbians and homosexuals in a video posted on the Lighthouse Evangelism website (since removed).  I choose not to delve into religion. Many of us so called liberals deem we are all created equal and must not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, creed and color of the skin and we should all fight for human liberation as a whole.  Neither should sexual orientation, gender, creed and color govern our meritocratic system of government or other organizations wherein appointments are made and responsibilities assigned to individuals based on proven talents and abilities.  Discrimination should also not dictate our ability to lead for otherwise it must surely divide us.  It is unproductive at best and counterproductive at worst. Homosexual acts were decriminalized in some parts of the Western world (e.g. Poland - 1932, Denmark - 1933, Sweden – 1944, United Kingdom – 1967).  It was not until the mid-1970s that the gay community first began to achieve limited civil rights in some developed countries.  The turning point was in 1973 when the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, thus negating its previous definition of homosexuality as a clinical mental disorder.  In 1977, Quebec became the first country in the world to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.  Most developed countries have enacted laws decriminalizing homosexuality. Homophobia is a term that represents negative attitudes or actions toward homosexuals. Homophobia is prejudices toward homosexuals, fears and negative beliefs or attitudes that accompany this prejudice.  Rigid sex role stereotypes are barriers to accepting homosexuality in both homosexuals and heterosexuals.  Lesbian and gay people are often discriminated in employment, housing, and services.  In some liberal societies e.g. America, many unsophisticated minds would rather tolerate Mormon polygamists and abortionists than gays. Homosexuality in history and religions Homosexuality (defined as sexual interest in and attraction to members of one's own sex) had been variously approved, tolerated, punished or prohibited during different eras, cultures, and religions.  Homosexuality was not uncommon in ancient cultures.  In most of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, both the subject and the behavior are considered taboo, with some slight exceptions made in urban areas. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans generally accepted homosexual behavior within certain contexts. ·        Hinduism and Buddhism view homosexuality from the standpoint of its karmic effects. ·        Jewish, Christian, Sikh and Muslim cultures have generally perceived homosexual behavior as sinful. ·        Many Jewish and Christian leaders, however, have gone to great lengths to stress that it is the homosexual acts and not the homosexual individuals or their "orientation" that is condemned. ·        In recent developments, some liberal Protestant Christianity and Reform Judaism advocate the full acceptance of homosexuals and their relationships. Liberal Singaporeans’ views In six countries, homosexual behaviors are punishable by life imprisonment; in ten others, it carries the death penalty. In Singapore Section 377A of the Penal Code of Singapore is the main remaining piece of legislation which criminalizes sex between mutually consenting adult men.  Section 377A ("Outrages on decency") states that: “Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years.” How should Lesbians Gays Bisexuals Transgender (LGBT) persons be treated It is no surprise that major conflicts exists over equal rights and protections for gays and lesbians, including whether to alter the definition of marriage to include same-sex marriage. Within even a single religion e.g. Christianity, we see active, un-resolvable debates over how persons with a homosexual or bisexual orientation should be treated.  Amongst the more vocals, the arguments are diametrically opposite. The Christians in Singapore are by nature conservative and many are vocal and regard same-sex behavior as profoundly immoral and hated by God regardless of the nature of their relationships.   Most advocate continuing the current denials and restrictions. However, most LGBTs, their friends and families, including some religious liberals (Christians included) and progressives, secularists, mental health professionals and their associations, civil libertarians, human sexuality researchers, etc. favor equal rights and protections for persons of all sexual orientations, including the right to marry. You see, these are the more enlightened with the “live and let live spirit”. Religious moderates tend to be split between the conservative and liberal viewpoints.  Supporters for same-sex marriage remain in a minority, but may be increasing in numbers.   Many favor the hate-crime laws to include violent crimes motivated by hatred of the victim's sexual orientation. Most regard homophobia - any denial of human rights based on sexual orientation - to be as profoundly immoral as is sexism and racism.  Most believe that homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual orientation and behavior are not intrinsically sinful and would like to see persons of all sexual orientations protected from abuse, firing, discrimination in accommodation, violence in hate crimes, etc. Section 377A of the Penal Code Quilting Wikipedia:  “What is clear from the rejuvenated debate on whether homosexual acts under should be decriminalized is that passions run high over this issue. And where passions run high, reason often runs dry.  Much ink has been spilt arguing whether homosexuality is about nature or nurture, choice or instinct, whether it is sinful or simply an alternative choice of lifestyle. It is unlikely that a consensus is going to be reached anytime soon……. Indeed, for over 10 years, there has been no prosecution under section 377A for gay sex between consenting adults.” Here is a paradox and a contradiction, for we are a global and vibrant city with an archaic law.  Does it mean that there are gay activities in Singapore?  By the way, Section 377A criminalizes only male homosexual activities but not lesbian acts. What is the purpose of retaining Section 337A? Ms. Indranee Rajah, a PAP MP and former chairperson of the GPC for Law and Home Affairs, reiterated the MHA's "assurance" that it would not actively prosecute people under that section. PM Lee Hsien Loong: “However, as recognition that homosexuals do and are contributing to the country, 377A would also not be actively enforced. Homosexuals would be left to lead their lives in privacy.” I see no purpose in its retention but Pastor and the Lighthouse Evangelism should be mindful of what PM Lee said i.e. "Homosexuals would be left to lead their lives in privacy." How should Singaporeans treat LGBTs? As Singaporeans fight for human liberation as a whole, we cannot exclude the rights of the gay people. This fight is part of our democratization process.  Whilst we do not encourage LGBT activities nor condone them, we DO NOT promote nor discriminate.  It is morally wrong as our actions will come back to haunt us later.  This is how Singaporeans should view and react to gay people in our community. In the West, politicians looking for votes have even joined gay parades and approved civil unions for gays. LBGTs  have gained ground over several years and now they celebrate how far they have come in their gay parades.  I am hopeful the day will not come when our politicians have to elicit the votes of the LGBTs in exchange for standing up for their rights. Finally, I quote Jesus Christ and the Bible: “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.”  Christians, do not deny the LGBTs their rights! *Notes: The terms "LGBT" and "GLBT" are acronyms for: "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual, and "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual.”  Sometimes, additional letters "Q" for Queer, "I" for Intersexual.  Persons with all three sexual orientations - (heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual) and various sexual identities (cisgendered, transsexual, transgendered) are sometimes included.  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent While extensive publicity was given by the state media on the impending hike in foreign workers levy to placate Singaporeans still peeved off with the ruling party over its pro-foreigner policy, little was mentioned about the expected increase in salaries of the PAP ministers and ministers of states this year. It was reported in an obscure corner of a seemingly innocuous article on TODAY yesterday with the title "Committed to going green". Though the first few paragraphs are about the Ministry of Environment's spending more on environment technology, the last paragraph contains information about the pay hike which was not reported in the Straits Times: "The largest share of Government spending will go to Mindef (24.7 per cent or $11.46 billion) and the Education Ministry (20.8 per cent or $9.66 billion). Salaries for political appointments - ministers, ministers of state and parliamentary secretaries - are estimated to be $58.28 million, or 8.8 per cent higher than last year." [Source: TODAY] A certain percentage of the Singapore ministers' multi-million salaries is pegged to GDP growth figures. With the Singapore economy expected to grow by 4.5 to 6.5 per cent this year, the salary hike is not surprising. Singapore's Prime Minister is the highest paid leader in the world, earning more than 5 times the annual salary of U.S. President Barack Obama. Even a senior minister of state earns more than Obama. Singapore's strongman Lee Kuan Yew once said that Singaporeans must pay their ministers high salaries found in the private sector to secure their services: "…you have to pay the market rate or the man will up stakes and join Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers or Goldman Sachs and you would have an incompetent man and you would lose money by the billions!" [Source: Straits Times, April 2007] GIC, headed by Lee himself, is estimated to have lost about S$59 billion dollars in the fiscal year ending March 2009 and is expected to lose another $10 billion dollars or more when its stake in Swiss bank UBS is converted to shares on 5 March 2010. [Source: Wall Street Journal, 29 September 2009] Though Lee admitted himself that he is not doing "much work" except forecasting, he costs Singapore taxpayers about S$3 million dollars a year. The obscene salaries of the PAP ministers is a sore point of contention among many Singaporeans, but there is very little they can do since the PAP has engineered the electoral system for it win elections after elections. With the next election around the corner, it is understandable that the state media is trying hard to divert public attention away from the ministers' pay rise at a time when ordinary Singaporeans are still struggling to make ends meet, thanks to the ruling party's misguided policies which had led to the relentless influx of foreigners and sky-rocketing HDB flat prices.  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent The popular Vote PAP out Facebook started by a young vocal critic of the PAP Alex Tan two months ago has been down since 12pm today, but is now up again spontaneously. The exact cause of the downtime is not known yet. It has garnered more than 3,500 members so far, many of whom are young Singaporeans in their 20s and 30s. Alex Tan first made the headlines in December last year when he embarrassed two PAP MPs with his sensitive and sharp questions during a YPAP Forum. He has since joined the Singapore People's Party and had made two speeches at Hong Lim Park so far. Despite its efforts to reach out to the online community, the majority of Singapore netizens remain vehemently against the ruling party. The overwhelming support for Alex's "Vote PAP out" Facebook may be a sign that the PAP has lost the support of young Singaporeans who are clamoring for change. Such a Facebook will be unimaginable 10 years ago. However, public sentiment, at least in cyberspace has turned against the PAP now. The PAP has won every single election since 1959 no thanks to a slew of unfair measures such as gerrymandering via the GRC system, slandering of its political opponents using the state media and dangling carrots in the form of estate upgrading in front of voters. With today's voters becoming more aware, educated and astute, it will be an uphill task for the PAP to perpetuate its political hegemony as before.  Read More →