Section 377A in the Penal Code has been a relic from times when the Singapore Penal Code was drafted from it's Indian counterpart in 1871. In lay man's terms, it says that any male, who commits, or attempts to commit any act of 'gross indecency', even in private and voluntary, shall be liable to a jail term of up to 2 years.
Not only is it obviously dated, it is unfair and prejudiced and leaves homosexuals susceptible to threats, blackmail and harassment. Simply put, S.377A in its present form, cannot be justified. It didnt make sense to me in criminal law class, doesnt make sense to me now and, for the reasons above, it doesnt have a place in our penal code.
Last month, the minister for home affairs said "we are generally a conservative society and that we should let the situation evolve". it then leaves one to ponder who and what exactly have they been interviewing that constitutes their "conservative society". and if my grandma says i can have boyfriend, who are you to say i cant.
in april this year, MM Lee, when questioned on the city-state’s ban on gay sex, said to a youth rally - "If in fact it is true, and I have asked doctors this, that you are genetically born a homosexual — because that's the nature of the genetic random transmission of genes — you can't help it. So why should we criminalise it?" and added that "It's a matter of time. But we have a part Muslim population, another part conservative older Chinese and Indians." yes sir. yes sir. also, the time is now.
Britain, Hong Kong and Australia have since repealed their laws incriminating gay sex in 1967, 1991, 1997 respectively. its our turn.
Join the fight at http://repeal377a.com
to further illustrate the irony, they made me recite "To build a democratic society, Based on justice and equality. So as to achieve happiness, prosperity & progress for our nation" every morning since i was a lad. justice and equality indeed.