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20 Apr 2015

IKEA Singapore is criticised for supporting anti-gay pastor's evangelistic magic show

by Greyson Cooke

Khong has repeatedly urged the government to retain its colonial-era anti-gay sex law and championed the LoveSingapore network of churches to lobby against gay equality in Singapore. He once called the LGBT rights movement the 'onslaught of the evil one.'

 

It is believed to be the first time that Ikea Singapore is being listed as a supporter of Khong's production to be restaged at the Esplanade 
Theatre in July. 
Members of Singapore's LGBTI community have questioned the gay-friendly Swedish furniture giant's support of the anti-gay pastor.
Touted as an 'uplifting tale about love, family ties and family values', the show is produced by Gateway Entertainment Pte Ltd which is owned by 
Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) in Singapore.
The 63-year-old pastor-magician and his daughter Priscilla have leading roles in what promotional material say is an S$2 million (US$1.5 million) 
production which sold more than 16,000 tickets in its previous run in 2011.
While the promotional material for the show doesn’t mention the show's evangelical aims, the church had issued a press release for the show's run 
in Shanghai last October, titled 'Sights set on China: Vision breaks new ground with Shanghai debut.'
Jean Chong of queer women's group Sayoni said Ikea's support 'raises the question if IKEA is truly committed to diversity worldwide.'
Ikea states on its website: we share an inspiring vision: “to create a better everyday life for the many people”. How we realise this vision is 
based on our shared humanistic values. These values are the foundation of our work and our inclusive, empathising, open and honest culture.
Working with us is like working with your friends. Our culture is based on the spirit of togetherness, enthusiasm and fun"
In 2014 just days before the Pink Dot rally, Khong through his LoveSingapore network of churches called on Christians to join an informal Muslim 
group in wearing white to protest against homosexuality and defend traditional family values.
Prior to that, he had unsuccessfully tried to organize an anti-gay 'Family Values' rally on the same day Pink Dot was being held after failing to 
shut Pink Dot down.
'Ikea's support of Lawrence Khong is a direct contradiction of Ikea's pro-diversity values' says Olivia Chiong who co-parents a two-year-old 
daughter with her wife in Singapore and has been an Ikea customer for 20 years.
'Khong has publicly initiated discrimination and hate against any types of families that do not confirm to his ideal. An ideal that he has tried 
to force down people's throats. His blatant disregard and disrespect for fundamental human rights has been demonstrated in his attempt to rally 
his troops in a crusade against the LGBT community, and denying one of his previous employees her salary and maternity leave because she was 
pregnant before her divorce was final.'
Chiong added, 'Ikea's support of Lawrence Khong is a direct contradiction of Ikea's pro-diversity values. As one of the families Lawrence Khong 
has condemned as evil, I am concerned that Ikea will be seen as endorsing his continued hate speech against us.'

 

It is believed to be the first time that Ikea Singapore is being listed as a supporter of Khong's production to be restaged at the Esplanade 
Theatre in July.

Members of Singapore's LGBTI community have questioned the gay-friendly Swedish furniture giant's support of the anti-gay pastor.
Touted as an 'uplifting tale about love, family ties and family values', the show is produced by Gateway Entertainment Pte Ltd which is owned by Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) in Singapore.

The 63-year-old pastor-magician and his daughter Priscilla have leading roles in what promotional material say is an S$2 million (US$1.5 million) production which sold more than 16,000 tickets in its previous run in 2011.

While the promotional material for the show doesn’t mention the show's evangelical aims, the church had issued a press release for the show's run in Shanghai last October, titled 'Sights set on China: Vision breaks new ground with Shanghai debut.'

Jean Chong of queer women's group Sayoni said Ikea's support 'raises the question if IKEA is truly committed to diversity worldwide.'

IKEA states on its website: we share an inspiring vision: “to create a better everyday life for the many people”. How we realise this vision is 
based on our shared humanistic values. These values are the foundation of our work and our inclusive, empathising, open and honest culture.Working with us is like working with your friends. Our culture is based on the spirit of togetherness, enthusiasm and fun"

 In 2014 just days before the Pink Dot rally, Khong through his LoveSingapore network of churches called on Christians to join an informal Muslim group in wearing white to protest against homosexuality and defend traditional family values.

Prior to that, he had unsuccessfully tried to organize an anti-gay 'Family Values' rally on the same day Pink Dot was being held after failing to 
shut Pink Dot down.

'Ikea's support of Lawrence Khong is a direct contradiction of Ikea's pro-diversity values' says Olivia Chiong who co-parents a two-year-old 
daughter with her wife in Singapore and has been an Ikea customer for 20 years.

'Khong has publicly initiated discrimination and hate against any types of families that do not confirm to his ideal. An ideal that he has tried 
to force down people's throats. His blatant disregard and disrespect for fundamental human rights has been demonstrated in his attempt to rally his troops in a crusade against the LGBT community, and denying one of his previous employees her salary and maternity leave because she was pregnant before her divorce was final.'

Chiong added, 'Ikea's support of Lawrence Khong is a direct contradiction of Ikea's pro-diversity values. As one of the families Lawrence Khong has condemned as evil, I am concerned that Ikea will be seen as endorsing his continued hate speech against us.'

anti-gay, discrimination, pro-diversity
Singapore