Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hseing Joong, announced on Sunday that the country will repeal a colonial-era law that criminalises gay sex. He further stated that the attitude of people have shifted from what they were 15 years ago when the law was implemented.
The repeal of section 377A of Singapore Penal Code, inherited from the British Colonial Era which penalises sex between men with a punishment of up to 2 years, is seen as a relief by Gay right campaigners who have long said that the law effects the vibrant and modern culture of the country.
However, the repeal of the section is short of marriage equality. The Prime Minister announced that he would continue to uphold marriage as an institution between a man and woman. He promised to uphold and safeguard the institution of marriage saying that most Singaporeans do not want the repeal to trigger a drastic shift in the societal norms.
The government, therefore, would repeal section 377A and decriminalise sex between men but would also amend the constitution of the country to safeguard the existing definition of marriage and prevent it from being constitutionally challenged in the court.
ALL INDIA LEGAL FORUM 