Updated Feb 11, 2009:
According to the LianHe Zaobao (联合早报) today, Quek Hock Seng, a 42-year-old former travel agent, pleaded guilty to one charge under Section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalises "any act of gross indecency" between male persons. He was sentenced to four months imprisonment. The maximum penalty is two years.
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The following report has been updated on Feb 6, 2009:
According to a media background brief published by the Attorney-General's Chambers, the six accused persons are believed to have met the student while chatting on the Internet.
The news report stated that the men were charged under the old Section 377 as the offences occurred before the Penal Code (Amendment) Act took effect on Feb 1, 2008.
Under the old statute which has since been repealed, Section 377 criminalises any person who "voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animals." The new Section 377 criminalises necrophilia.
According to a media background brief published by the Attorney-General's Chambers, Balasundaram S/O Suppiah and Ng Geng Whye are each charged with "carnal intercourse against the order of nature under Section 377" of the Penal Code. If convicted, they face life imprisonment, or jail term of up to 10 years, and are liable to be fined. The report further mentioned Ng to be a former deputy director of the Central Narcotics Bureau, former president of the Singapore Amateur DanceSport Association, and former manager at concert organiser Unusual Productions.
Quek Hock Seng and Song Choong Chen were each charged under Section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalises "any act of gross indecency" between male persons. If convicted, they face up to two years of imprisonment.
Muhammad Hafashah bin Mohd Aslam faces two charges of "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" under Section 377 and Ng Yong You, two charges of gross indecency under Section 377A.
Neither the report nor the media background brief provided any information about the specific sexual activities between the men and the teen nor did it explain why the men were charged under different laws. It is should however be noted that the penalty under Section 377 is much more severe than 377A.
The brief stated: "The Public Prosecutor will prosecute persons who exploit a young victim who is a minor, irrespective of the gender of the victim or whether the act was consensual. A young male victim, who is a minor, deserves to be accorded the same protection of the law as that given to a young female victim who is a minor."
Currently, under Section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act, any person who commits or abets the commission of any obscene or indecent act with any child or young person aged 15 or younger may face imprisonment up to two years and/or a fine up to S$5,000 for first-time offenders.
The new Section 376A of the Penal Code provides for more severe penalties with imprisonment of up to 10 years or with fine or with both for more serious sexual offences including oral and anal sex with minors under 16 years of age.
In October 2007, Section 377 which criminalised "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" between persons of non-specified gender was repealed as a result of a wide ranging Penal Code Amendment Bill. Section 377A which criminalises "any act of gross indecency" between male persons with a penalty of up to two years jail was however retained despite a high profile campaign by the gay community and Nominated Member of Parliament Siew Kum Hong. He tabled and presented a parliamentary petition signed by 2,519 Singaporeans and Singapore residents who support the repeal of Section 377A.
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Reader's Comments
though in most countries here its 16.
Is it that men are still being charged under 377 in sg?
The teenager is just 15yo, the men should have known better than to have sex with a minor, be him guy or girl.
My heart goes out to the men who are now embattled with the Singaporean penal system.
No it is not. That is not padophelia. Peadophelia is sex with pre pubescent children.
Honestly I am not sure who is to be blamed. It can either be these dirty old man ( pardon my pun) or these young , raging hormones young lads. I have actually seen young boys throwing themselves at matured men , hoping to have a fling r two and at the same time some nice little pressies. So if they are caught , who do we blame ?
I know these underage kids need to be protected and I a totally for it. But come on , which cat does not eat fish , if thrown to them. We need to see the whole case in it's whole perspective. If not one day these underage kids can even set a trap and poor men like us are caught with our pants down ...hahahah
Again , laws are but laws - just abide by it and ,ove on .
Unfortunately, since most gays are in the closet, the public only saw the negative side of us.
But why is 377A still invoked when parliament already states they will not be using this law? Should these people be tried under a common underaged predator law for straights and gays?
Jokes aside. Assuming if all the men don't know each other, and they met the same 15 yr old on different occasions, and it is said that they met online, I can't help but to wonder what exactly did the out of control raging testesterone 15 year old offered online?
It takes two to clap. And don't tell me NONE of you desired twinks if offered, regardless knowing the law or not.
EAsier said than done, I quote, "If u know the law in sg, don't do it! " Likewise, we all know having anal/poppers/E/public bathroom sex even possesion of pornography are all against the law in Singapore. Don't tell me you guys NEVER did such things EVER despite knowing the law?
Just looking from an unbiased, outsider point of view because it seems that the notion is set to make the 6 Men look real guilty (this of cse, followed by ppl cheering and posting "they should've known better" comments) when it really is, it takes 2 to tango. I can close one eye if the 15 yr old did it with just one guy. But 6 different guys? He clearly knows what he was doing.
I think the boy too should be followed by a psychologist. I mean, it's not really normal that a boy so young has sex with all those guys...
Anyway we also don't know the boy's background etc...
thank god (or whom ever) theres lots of tons of water between my island and yours!
and sure, its not a paedophilia case at all, as the boy is already 15 and he carries at least 50% of the guilt by prostituting himself in online gay chats.
At his age I was in boarding school having sex with my fellow room mate in the bedroom, in the showers, at the river side... erm, sorry, geting off topic here... :D
if one's in singapore for long one will notice that, like in the US, people often confuse natural sexuality with sexual perversion, which is not healthy & in the long run, dangerous in that it will lead to all kinds of high-risk behavior in future...add to that the blatant hypocrisy...which btw I noticed is VERY, very common...I once knew this SG girl who claims she's never dated or had sex with a guy & she prefers women EXCLUSIVELY...until I stumbled upon her social networking profile....which told an entirely different story. And she's not the only one with the bad habit...when I was studying in a uni there, i heard- and witnessed for myself- many,
many of these outwardly goody-goody students indulging in every sin in (& outside) the book.
The despicable part? They SAY they are 'disgusted' by 'the dirty'..with a straight face a la Gillian Chung.
Then you have the other extreme, the oh-so-proud-to-be-promiscous brigade, flaunting their 'Western enlightenment' when in fact all they are doing is copying the likes of MTV & trashy celebs without comprehending the gist of a healthy sex life.
1. Did the 15-year old lie about his age?
2. How did the police get to know about this case?
But, I gotta admit that I don't agree with screwing around with a 15-year old kid. Not because it's illegal but because it's just so god damn boring. Good sex requires experience and passion. Any guy who's attracted to a 15-year old is, I suspect, afraid of (or incapable of) real, sweaty, mindblowing, toe-curling mansex.
(Posted : 06 February 2009 20:23) :
"Hmmmm......I wonder if it is appropriate to mention Mohammed and his 14 year old bride??!! "
I don't think it is relevant to this story, however, if you are talking about Ayesha, where did you get the age of 14? As I understand it she was betrothed at 6 and cohabited at 9, there are many reports on the net; however it is explained as an act of charity to look after the child.
As for the present case, where were the parents during all this? How and why did a 15 year old come to be cruising the net for old guys?
When will the Singapore archaic Section 377A be abolished. A 15 year old is definitely able to decide for themselves who they want to have sex with. With Singapore government's belief in Star Trek's 'Borg Collective', it seems growth on the little island still alludes the many. How is it possible that the few can still bamboozle the many in such a small country? Then again, how can the many still let a narrow minded archaic government deprive them of their individuality?
It doesnt matter wether you a gay or hetero..
as and adult one should KNOW BETTER.
It doesnt matter if the minor is consenting for what ever the reason... it is still MORALLY wrong.
Why would some one engage sexually with a child
when so many "Promiscuous" over 18/21 y.o's outhere are giving it away?
As adults we should be mentoring and looking after our young gay/hetero boys and girls not sleeping with them or seen them as sexual play things..
For the record I've never Fantasize or been Attracted to Twinks,
I was never interested in sex till the age of 18 I had other priorities like school work, sports and cars,and when I was sexually active I always prefer people of my age or older.
Even till this day I dont get involved (sexually)with
any one under 27 years of age.
If all 6 men knew he was 15 or below, then they should be responsible. What if the boy looked matured for his age. I know many who do look much older than they should. When was the last time anyone asked for an ID check b4 having fun..duh?! Don't just read the article on face value, use your heads, the one above your necks!
Having said that, this sure ain't a normal 15 year old, who's abled to hook someone senior from CNB (Central Narcotics Burea) before. Was there blackmail?
Lastly, it's Singapore & its UNIQUE "laws"; Seriously, is anything uniquely surprising anymore?..YAWN!
like so many guys his age and younger, they enjoy the excitement of chatting up guys and exploring a sexual world which is legally forbidden to them.
One also has to take into account, that older adults who use the internet chat rooms like "#gaydads4sons" and others of the same elk ,Know full well what they are doing, and for sure they are not looking for older guys, for there sexual needs.
Personally I think, the adults in this case, should have used more common sense,knowing full well the strict archaic laws which prevail in Singapore. The boy whilst he is party to this case, can in some ways be be exonerated because of his age.
At the end of the day, it is the Adults in this case who disregarded the laws of Singapore, indeed they broke the laws of many countries.
but saying that I do hope that the book is not thrown at them, as that will set a president, and may well cause some enthusiasm on the part of the law enforcement agencies to pursue other cases.
further more chatting up guys of his age can leave you open to blackmail at sometime in the future.
that my two penny worth!!!!!
i hope he gets into trouble.
whatever la. both wrong. but please dont pretend to be a victim when obviously ur in it for the thrill too. i mean c'mon la. SIX men?
as stupid a child he is, i hope hes smart enough to have used protection.
his parents prob caught him in the act.
PUNISH those chee bai men !
THAT, is the key to the case
gay or straight
its bad this happened
guys are deplorable
I do have to agree with Syntrophy. It just doesn't make sense as it would be lots easier for the prosecutor to prove their case if they go under the law against sex with minors.
This gotta raised more awareness to all
Thos whom are obsessed / fantaize with
the 'sweet / youthness and innocent young twink'
You will paid for your own action (esp if u r here in sg)
Looking into this
It is not an offence to imagine having a sexual relationship with young twink (cause there are more than enough video feature world-wide) about this
However when it is put into action
how did this gotta into the media and police attention
It quite alarming that nowthesedays
there are more of these young twink coming out in club, living a care-free live and beoming a 'diva inthe making ...and proposition themselves in the Internet / Clubbing ..... and they may looked even younger than their projected age
Now if one is offering and one is willingly
it's shouldnt be an offence
However in this case
Since the whistle is being blown ..
all 6 will to faced the music
one cant wondered
what about this young twink ??
We'll not know that fact, moreover, were that be possible that the 'young twink' OFFER such a SERVICE to 6 of them and get the EXTRA INCOME?
Hence, 6 of them have to punished under such a unfair and ridiculous act and be punished, but not the 'young twink'.
This is the MOST UNFAIR JUDGEMENT i even hear.
Foxy Tara(#14) and daoness (#29) both hit the nail on the head. Don't just read the article on face value, use your heads, the one above your necks!
Haha Be told! :P
Seriously I think some, not all, of the posts here are worth reading. It reflects how mentally retarded some members are.
1. I know some ppl who enjoys having sex with twinks. So what? who are you to judge what is morally wrong (like having anal is sooo morally conscientious. Same goes for public toilet cubicle quickie. I know some of you are guilty of it). Blaming Japanese and whatnots. *major roll eyes*
What if you have a fetish for daddies. Can I find you deplorable too?
2. Some say the adults should know better. Yes no doubt. Just like I know some of you had poppers or E in clubs. YOu should ahve known better than to do it since drugs are illegal, but why still do it? IN fact, with the section 377 law forbidding carnal sex axts against nature, WHY DO YOU PPL STILL DO ANAL SEX????
Hypocrisy at its BEST.
Yes, the 6 men who were caught are probably deserve to get the sentence, but honestly, the 15 year old SHOULDN'T GO UNPUNISHED. It takes TWO to clap. Perhaps he was SOLICITING?
For all you know, he could have lied and told the 6 men that he was 18.
The fact that he did it with 6, not 1, clearly shows that he KNOWS what he is doing and he wants MORE.
So so lame.
Do NOT mistake this for gay crimes....
This is truly a form of mental sckness to want to have sex with minors!
The fact in this case is that the 6 men did in fact have sexual relationships with a minor. And in ALL societies this is a CRIME. Regulations will always protect the minor because a Minor IS a minor. Even if the minor committed a murder he will still be judged as a MINOR. So, you can't really see it as the minor is soliciting or whether is he feeling itchy. The 6 men being adults should comprehend this; and should have had second thoughts about this. The fact is this is how the society is being regulated.
somehow even a 15 year old should know better, and parents need to get involved in their kids lives and teach their kids about more responsible sex and yes even to study a chapter on abstinance and self esteem
hopefully these weren't 5-6 guys who went after 1 boy at the same time... that would be bad!
Singapore Penal Code. Poor Singapore...issues,issues,issues...
In many countries in the world (incl. many in the EU, like the UK, or Holland, ...) the minimum age is 16.
As you said you only like your own age, meaning that is the best, I am glad you are not in politics! Thanks the Lord!
In Singapore it is 18 I belief, but that does not mean everybody is the same and starting sex with 18. Many kids are not ready with 18 and some are not even ready when 21 or 35, so there must be people that are ready at the age of 16 (or some 15?) Maybe just maybe in this case this boy was quicker then his friends.
Still not right to have sex with a minor of 15 but I am only trying to say that 18 or own age is best!
Just think about this for ones. Thank you.
If the guys were fully aware the minor was a minor, then they have willingly broken the law, however if they were unaware (possible if the minor developed early, tall, well built etc and age was difficult to tell) then this is a slightly different story. They would face the same situation in many European countries if the boys parents lodged a complain etc.
While these laws are draconian and discriminatory laws, in this case it appears to be just.
If this guy - and I would not use the word "kid" - has, at 15, knowingly managed to set up a profile on a gay website, and coerce AT LEAST six men into having sex with him, then he sounds to me like he knows exactly what he's doing. (Sounds as if he's a bit of a slut as well.)
Are we supposed to have sympathy for the 15 year old because he's been used and abused. I think not.
What's also incredible is that Big Brother in SG has managed to dig up the dirt on the 6 guys who were charged. Not least, is that these charges reek of the presence of blackmail.
As someone who refuses to set foot on SG soil, I can't help but wonder at whatever means were used to entrap (can't think of a better word) those concerned. The SG government and it's two-faced bigotry is so despicable, anything seems possible.
That the government employs people to entrap others highlights the draconian hideousness of SG's so-called new "liberality".
Travel the world. See for youself what the place is like. The Tiny Red Dot with a local population of 4 million boasted
-7 saunas,
-3 gay discos,
-9 gay bars,
-6 gay orientated shops selling even SM wares,
-6 gay crusing public pools.
The City State has never been gayer from the way they dress. How can one say that this is an anti gay city ?
377A seems to be retained to protect ourselves, judging from the higher than ever rate of HIV populations and the constant cases of sex with minors.
Judging from the other comments posted here, draconian laws are still needed for a very long time to protect our fellow species and us.
Seniors have the moral obligation to protect the young, not to have sex with them. It is exploitations and a very hideous crime. How can the gay community on one hand argues on the right to adoption but majority also seems to approve to Paedophilia thoughts. Can young people be left to seniors who harbour lewd thoughts with minors? My opinion is that they should be left to rot in jail, least they corrupt more young minds.
The case is not about Section 377A. It is the case of the law using all available means to put those scumbags behind bars and protect the young. In recent days, there were also many heterosexual cases of sex with minors and all had also been seriously dealt with. This is not discrimination, as some seems to be confused with.
The law is the law. And if the law says that it is 18, so be it because this is what the majority agrees upon.
Post #49 paulbavo says "I don't live in Singapore, and - me being a gay guy - I refuse to visit it, due to it's anti-gay laws. I prefer to spend my travel money somewhere else."
Travel the world. See for youself what the place is like. The Tiny Red Dot with a local population of 4 million boasted
-7 saunas,
-3 gay discos,
-9 gay bars,
-6 gay orientated shops selling even SM wares,
-6 gay crusing public pools.
The City State has never been gayer from the way they dress. How can one say that this is an anti gay city ?
And contradicts himself in the very next post:
Post #65 gymhotbod says (Posted : 15 February 2009 9:36) :
I salute Post #56 lagunabro and those who agrees to the sentencing without reasonable doubts for the wisdom in their postings.
Judging from the other comments posted here, draconian laws are still needed for a very long time to protect our fellow species and us.
Seniors have the moral obligation to protect the young, not to have sex with them. It is exploitations and a very hideous crime. How can the gay community on one hand argues on the right to adoption but majority also seems to approve to Paedophilia thoughts. Can young people be left to seniors who harbour lewd thoughts with minors? My opinion is that they should be left to rot in jail, least they corrupt more young minds.
The case is not about Section 377A. It is the case of the law using all available means to put those scumbags behind bars and protect the young. In recent days, there were also many heterosexual cases of sex with minors and all had also been seriously dealt with. This is not discrimination, as some seems to be confused with.
The law is the law. And if the law says that it is 18, so be it because this is what the majority agrees upon.
All the more you should NOT visit SIngapore, Paulbravo. Look at the blatant contradiction of his words- it's a trap!!!
Certainly many will not visit Singapore because it is not a haven for peadophiles. And we are not missing a beat because these are just very sick cheapos who use candies to lure young boys. They should be put behind bars and throw away the keys.
I am a proud gay Singaporean and am not in anyway ashamed of it.
When we go on a war of words, it can turn ugly. Thats how things works. I have been critcised, I simply believe in what I believe in.
sorry to u guys (& gals). Freedom-of-speech is one aspect I cherish, so hopefully it is not abused.
What about despicability?
Suddenly cleaning up yr tracks to save yr own skin?
http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=2327&viewarticle=1&searchtype=all
Ah, thanks for the hyperlink. Brings back wonderful memories.
I don't twist words.
And I don't fight self-congratulatory midgets :)
And I do enjoy fighting with perverts.
1) Freedom is a lot like stupidity.
Everyone is sntitled to it...bt sadly, some abuse the privilege.
2) It is a GRAVE mistake to hold back humanity just for the sake of
some lblack sheep who take blatant advantage of the universal
standards of tolerance, respect & fair play...action MUST be taken
against unlawful behavior
So as a sidenote to use gymhotbod: I've been observing yr online behavior for some time, and also that of yr nemesis girlongirl.
But whist she's just being hot-tempered with her words, I've noticed she had never abused you personally with malicious name-calling.
You, however, had been downright vicious towards her...apart from calling her a 'pervert' & 'toilet queen' , amongst other things.
Now, I don't care if you have an axe to grind, that you've suffered fr a bad chilldhood/family/upbringing, or that you gt emotional & say things you don't mean. The fact is: you did it.
As a grown adult, nobody can coerce or force you to act the way you do, so you'll have to bear the consequences.
I alrd had you reported to fridae for yr gross abuse of the privilege to express yr views....I think the community has been turning the other cheek for too long with people like you. We need discipline.
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