We Cannot Have Our Cake & Eat It Too
I refer to Tor Ching Li’s article dated Monday, December 20, “PM Lee on party permits, casino views, financial rules”.
While our Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, has a point in saying that the Snowball Party is about “balancing norms”, one also need to be aware that Snowball is a ticketed event, and hence, not open to the general public. People who are offended by same – sex intimate behaviour need not attend these events. Therefore, the reason to deny a group of people who are only celebrating a festive occasion without upsetting the law, and away from the watchful eyes of the conservatives, is unsubstantiated.
Moreover, PELU has approved similar large - scale parties permits for the past few years without any fanfare. The sudden move to reject this application creates doubts as to what is permissible.
If Singapore truly wants to embrace diversity, then the conservative mainstream has to stop imposing their “values” on others.
The same can be said of the recent casino debate.
While Families Against Casinos Threat perceives gambling as a social evil, they should nevertheless be mindful that Singaporeans are able to visit casinos easily by just going on an overseas cruise. People can fritter away their money or savings even if we do not build a casino at home.
The crux of the argument lies not with whether casinos will break up families or create more social problems; but rather personal responsibility. In that regard, Families Against Casinos Threat will do a much better job if they focus their educational efforts on how citizens should “gamble” moderately.
Both issues highlight a pertinent dilemma.
Conservatives Singaporeans want the government to constantly impose tight controls or legislate against what they perceive as “social evils”. Yet, they are not willing to look beyond the surface.
Outright banning activities only bring them out of the country. Singaporeans will continue to gamble in neighboring countries and gay people will spend their tourist money in societies which has a much more tolerant culture.
As we aim to become a much more modern and progressive nation, conservatives need to understand that there has to be compromises. They need to know that morals are not set in stone.
As the saying goes, “We cannot have our cake and eat it too.”
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PM Lee on party permits, casino views, financial rules
Monday • December 20, 2004
Tor Ching Li
chingli@newstoday.com.sg
SINGAPORE'S recent decision not to grant a licence for the annual gay Christmas party, SnowBall.04, drew a sharp response from its organisers who felt that the move was a step back in Singapore's drive to be a progressive and inclusive society.
They also argued that the Government was sending mixed signals, as previous such parties had been granted licences in Singapore.
Responding to reporters' questions on the subject yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong explained that the Government decision reflected "balance and judgement".
Said Mr Lee, speaking at the sidelines of PAP's Community Day at Siloso beach yesterday: "It's a question of where to draw the line. We made it quite clear that the party should not be targeted at gays alone.
"There are certain norms and limits which we have to observe and that was the understanding under which the permit was granted last time."
"As the party turned out, our sense of it was that this was beyond what we are prepared to accept. So, we have said 'no'. It's a matter of balance and judgement — how far we can go and where the limits are. I think it's the right thing to do."
Organised by Jungle Media, the Singapore subsidiary of Hong Kong-based online gay portal fridae.com, SnowBall.04 would have been the third annual Christmas party targeted at gays.
Jungle Media had previously been granted eight public entertainment licences to organise parties over the past three years but the police rejected its recent application on the grounds that the event was "contrary to public interest".
The police explained that it had been given the assurance that events like SnowBall.04 and Nation — another Jungle Media event — would not be "organised as gay parties".
However, people of the same gender were "seen openly kissing and intimately touching each other" during the party with some patrons using toilets meant for the opposite sex, "suggesting that most of the patrons were probably gays or lesbians and that the event was almost exclusively for them".
These "openly gay acts" also provoked several complaints from other patrons, said the police.
The Ministry of Home Affairs subsequently rejected Jungle Media's appeal against the decision not to grant SnowBall.04 a licence.
Asked if this move indicated that Singapore was not yet prepared to "go all out to compete for the pink dollar", Mr Lee said yesterday: "When you put it like that, it's all or nothing. It's a matter of balance of norms we're prepared to accept in our society.
"Of how we can have space for this group of people who are gay whom we accept as Singaporeans, at the same time respecting the outlook, perspective and values of Singaporeans who know Singapore to be a certain way and do not want to see it changing suddenly. And I think they have a point."
Another reactionary group recently put up the online petition portal, Families Against Casinos Threat, to state their view against the establishment of a casino at the southern islands of Singapore — such as Sentosa. What is the Government's reaction to this?
Said Mr Lee: "Some segments have quite strong views on the casino issue and it is not surprising that they want to make their views known. They have the right to do so. Finally, we have to decide from an overall perspective for the whole of Singapore. We haven't quite reached that point yet, but as I said in the National Day Rally, we will ask for proposals, and decide if we want it or not."
Interested casino investors are expected to submit their proposal within the next "one or two weeks", after which the Government will decide if any proposals are worth proceeding with.
As for the economic outlook next year, Mr Lee revealed that there would be an announcement next week for the year ahead.
"I don't think next year will be as strong a year as this year (in terms of growth). This year was a rebound year, electronics was particularly strong in the first half of the year. The outlook as it appears now is not bad and we are not expecting trouble. We are well prepared for whatever comes," he said.
Mr Lee also stressed that the recent financial scandal in case of the China Aviation Oil would not result in a "knee-jerk reaction" by the Government to tighten rules.
"That is our old attitude, you know. We want rules so that nothing can ever go wrong. That is not possible. What we want are rules which are properly judged, not too lax and not too strict."
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