MCI Minister Yaacob Ibrahim clarifies NLB's stand on the withdrawal of three children’s titles

He said that "NLB’s approach is to reflect existing social norms, and not to challenge or seek to change them".

Martino Tan| July 11, 05:29 PM

Minister of Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim has commented for the first time on the withdrawal of the three children’s titles from the public libraries by the National Library Board (NLB).

On his Facebook post, he explained that Government’s approach is to help all parties "understand what the withdrawal is about -- and what it is not about".

Here's a summary:

1) The withdrawal was not based on a single complaint. NLB has a process where its officers carefully consider such feedback, before making a decision.

2) This is a decision made only with respect to the children’s section in the public libraries. Parents can still buy these titles for their children if they wish.

3) NLB’s decision was guided by community norms. The prevailing norms, which the overwhelming majority of Singaporeans accept, support teaching children about conventional families, but not about alternative, non-traditional families, which is what the books in question are about.

4) NLB’s approach is to reflect existing social norms, and not to challenge or seek to change them. However, he notes that societies are never static, and will change over time.

 

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Top photo from Yaacob Ibrahim Facebook page

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