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Singapore must not allow the "highly sensitive and contentious issue" of Section 377A to "divide us, like what has happened elsewhere", Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said during his National Day Rally speech 2022 in Malay at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Headquarters at Ang Mo Kio on Aug. 21.

Section 377A of the Penal Code makes it a crime for a man to commit any act of “gross indecency” with another man, whether in public or in private.

It carries a jail term of up to two years.

'Complex matters needed to be handed delicately'

Speaking in Malay, PM Lee said that there are "strong views on both sides" for Section 377A.

However, he stressed that "we must not allow it to divide us".

He subsequently urged Singaporeans to handle this carefully like how a Malay proverb describes it best.

Ibarat menarik rambut dalam tepung, rambut jangan putus tepung jangan berserak. (Translated to: Complex matters need to be handled delicately with care to avoid undesirable consequences).

In his Malay speech, he added: "But let me reassure everyone that in handling the issue, the government will continue to uphold families as the basic building blocks of society, we will keep our policies on family and marriage unchanged and maintain the prevailing norms and social values of our society."

Sensitive issue

PM Lee said that sensitive issues like 377A must be addressed in the same manner, as when nurses in public hospitals were allowed to wear tudung with their uniforms, if they wish to, in 2021.

According to him, the decision was "years in the making".

"It took a lot of quiet engagement, dialogue, preparation, and understanding from all parties -- and not just the Malay/Muslim community," he said.

PM Lee said that he will elaborate further on 377A in his English speech.

Top image screenshot from PMO's YouTube video and MCI.