MHA Press Statement on Public Forum on “Sexual Orientation in International Law: The Case of Asia”, 03 August 2007

03 August 2007
Press Statement on Public Forum on “Sexual Orientation in International Law: The Case of Asia”, 03 August 2007

Police has cancelled a licence under the Public Entertainments and Meetings Act to organise a public forum on 7 Aug 2007 at 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road on gay issues by a foreign participant. A Singaporean, Mr Au Wai Pang, had applied for the licence. He had separately applied to ICA for a professional visit pass for the foreign national to speak at the forum.

2. In reviewing the application, Police has assessed that the event is contrary to public interest. Our laws are an expression and reflection of the values of our society; the discourse over a domestic issue such as the laws that govern homosexuality in Singapore must be reserved for Singaporeans. Indeed there have been public forums where Singaporeans have debated and discussed the issue of homosexuality at length. Singapore’s domestic politics is the domain for Singaporeans and foreigners should refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Singapore.

3. Police has therefore cancelled the licence to conduct this public forum. ICA has also rejected the professional visit pass application for the foreign national on similar grounds. It is an offence to organise an indoor public forum with foreign speakers without a licence [1]. It is also an offence for foreigners without professional visit passes to be speakers at the forum.

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

03 August 2007

---

[1] Under the Public Entertainments and Meetings Act, Singaporean organisers of indoor public talks are exempted from applying for a permit if it is confined to Singaporean speakers. However, if the forum or talk involves foreign speakers, the organiser is required to obtain a permit.