Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office says he is not a ‘sex policeman’.
Speaking at a dialogue with 300 students at the Polytechnic Forum 2016 held at Republic Polytechnic on Friday, Mr Chan discussed topics from staying relevant amid changing times, unequal financial assistance given to the lower-income group, to LGBT issues.
Offering his personal views on LGBT issues, Mr Chan said: “I’m not going to discriminate … (You’re free to do) whatever you do behind your bedroom doors ... It’s not my problem. I’m not a sex policeman ... But if you tell everyone to champion pro-LGBT or anti-LGBT (causes), it (might) cause social divisions, so (I have to step in) to be the policeman in the middle,” according to Today online.
The comments have naturally irritated members of the LGBT community in Singapore and beyond.
In an article written for The Independent, Molly Meek questioned:
“Who says LGBT issues are confined to sex or what people do in the bedroom? You may not regard them as your “problem” but why are they a problem in the first place? Are you going to police it if a gay couple were to kiss each other in public the way some straight couples do?”
In 2014 Mr Chan seemed to admonish a multinational company in Singapore for its recruitment practice of seeking LGBT recruits saying that foreign companies “should not venture into public advocacy for causes that sow discord amongst Singaporeans.”
“Singapore a largely conservative society. While different groups may express their different points of view, everyone should respect the sensitivities of others and not create division,” he said in a Facebook post.
Speaking at a dialogue with 300 students at the Polytechnic Forum 2016 held at Republic Polytechnic on Friday, Mr Chan discussed topics from staying relevant amid changing times, unequal financial assistance given to the lower-income group, to LGBT issues.
Offering his personal views on LGBT issues, Mr Chan said: “I’m not going to discriminate … (You’re free to do) whatever you do behind your bedroom doors ... It’s not my problem. I’m not a sex policeman ... But if you tell everyone to champion pro-LGBT or anti-LGBT (causes), it (might) cause social divisions, so (I have to step in) to be the policeman in the middle,” according to Today online.
The comments have naturally irritated members of the LGBT community in Singapore and beyond.
In an article written for The Independent, Molly Meek questioned:
“Who says LGBT issues are confined to sex or what people do in the bedroom? You may not regard them as your “problem” but why are they a problem in the first place? Are you going to police it if a gay couple were to kiss each other in public the way some straight couples do?”
In 2014 Mr Chan seemed to admonish a multinational company in Singapore for its recruitment practice of seeking LGBT recruits saying that foreign companies “should not venture into public advocacy for causes that sow discord amongst Singaporeans.”
“Singapore a largely conservative society. While different groups may express their different points of view, everyone should respect the sensitivities of others and not create division,” he said in a Facebook post.
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Reader's Comments
Change takes time. A few generations sort of time. Or you could force it, but that always ends in knee jerk opposition.
Facts are the facts. Campaign away.
You seem to believe that you, personally and as a Minister, have the right to express your views on the subjects of sex and sexuality and to discuss those topics as they relate to individual Singaporeans.
As a polite courtesy, would you please give those same rights of expression to other individuals in Singapore, even if they choose to disagree with your views on these topics.
Your photo suggests you are a relatively young man. Is there any chance your ideas could transition from the 1960s to the 2nd Decade, 21st Century?
Your ideas seem to be heavily influenced by those expressed by the Ridiculed Religious Right Ratbags - alleged Christians who do not have a truly christian bone in their collective bodies.
And you go on to say: "While different groups may express their different points of view, everyone should respect the sensitivities of others and not create division,” he said in a Facebook post." Quite right! Couldn't agree more. Just imagine how upset and divided the slaveowners were when people started realizing that you shouldn't enslave fellow humans and started trying to outlaw the COMMON, ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE. Yes, please folks, pay heed to the hypocrite. Express your views by all means. As long as they don't upset someone.
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