2019: Institutes of Higher Education can invite speakers on the LGBTQ cause, provided they are sensitive to societal norms

Mr Speaker, our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have wide-reaching impact on students and the broader Singapore society. They should provide a common space and neutral ground for open discussions and civil discourse. They need to be respectful of Singapore's wider social norms and laws, and exercise appropriate judgement and sensitivity when dealing with potentially socially divisive issues. Within the bounds of these principles, our IHLs have the autonomy to manage the activities on campus, such as deciding which artists, speakers and performers to invite, including those who may identify with LGBTQ+ causes.

IHLs and other like institutions provide public spaces. When you have public spaces, you must ensure that your spaces are safe spaces for your audience, and your audience and the people attending those spaces will have many different views, be of many different persuasions – whether it is race, religion, sexual orientation and so on. So, the key thing is to work within the parameters that I have outlined, which is that they have to be respectful of our social norms and laws and they do have to exercise appropriate judgement and sensitivity, which means that there is an element of discretion. That element of discretion should not be decided based on just your own personal belief but from the view point of, "This is common space", you want people coming into the common space to be comfortable, and to take the decision appropriately. So, it depends on your audience. Some audiences may well be able to be much more accommodating, others may feel a little uncomfortable. The institutions will have to take that call.

https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/fullreport?sittingdate=05-11-2019

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2007: Supported retaining Section 377A

"Sir, when we have a situation like that, when we have one group that feels very strongly to keep the law,  and another group that feels strongly to do away with it, what do we do?  We have to make a decision.  And the obvious decision in such a situation is to maintain the status quo, and to recognise that somewhere along the line, the situation may evolve."

https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/report?sittingdate=22-10-2007