Dr Vincent Wijeysingha, a member of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), has come out as gay in a Facebook post today, a day before the fifth annual gay-affirmative Pink Dot rally which is scheduled to be held on Saturday, Jun 29.
The 43-year-old social work lecturer at SIM University in Singapore on Friday afternoon posted Pink Dot's 2013 Home video with a message saying: "Just in case Fabrications About The PAP was wondering, yes, I am going to Pink Dot tomorrow. And yes, I am gay." And quipped: "PS. And no, I don't have a gay agenda." Earlier, he posted a Pink Dot cover photo on his profile.
During the 2011 General Elections in Singapore, his political opponent from the ruling People Action Party (PAP) told the media that the SDP was "suppressing" a video which would "raise some awkward questions" about the party's agenda.
At the time, Dr Wijeysingha was leading a team in contesting the same constituency as Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and his PAP team.
The video in question – about a constitutional challenge to repeal Singapore's anti-gay law – showed him being introduced as "possibly the first gay MP (Member of Parliament)" in Singapore.
Dr Wijeysingha could not be contacted by press time.