The opposition in Singapore tries their best but they may not always make decisions that appease everyone. Take for example Pritam Singh's recent views on the repeal of S377A. In a speech last week, he voiced the Workers' Party's stance on the issue - it supports their LGBT friends but will not be calling for a repeal of S377A.
It is no surprise that many pro-LGBT individuals were left disappointed.
Facebook user Yudhishthra Nathan was very affected and saw the WP's stance as problematic. He said that it is "disingenuous" for a politician to say that he/she supports LGBT people but on the other hand, fail to uphold their interests or rights.
He expressed pity for how the pro- and anti-LGBT viewpoints are played out in Singapore. To him, it is more than just being conservative or liberal, which is unfortunately what many politicians portray Singaporeans to be. It is more important to recognise that there are many people who fall into overlapping categories as we are all very much humans. It should not be a matter that is only seen through a conservative VS liberal lens, but something that has to be zoomed out and looked upon as a much bigger issue.
And simply saying that the WP does not want to "politicise" matters is not helping. For one, the subject itself already involves politics, what with the controversies surrounding S377A.
While the WP works hard at listening to people and bridging the gaps in society, it needs to recognise and stand up for matters of public interest, such as this.
"The way forward, therefore, is not to step away from the table and, in the same breath, call for more dialogue amongst other groups of people when we as a party have done precious little to facilitate meaningful dialogue.
We, too, need to have the moral courage to stand for a Singapore where LGBT citizens can live their lives with dignity (read: that means repealing S377A), and where those of us who are religious (straight or gay) continue to live in harmony with one another whilst having our religious rights reasonably protected under law and in social practice."
That being said, there is still hope in WP. It may be a shame that they did not muster enough courage to call for a repeal this time, but its efforts over the years have not gone to waste. Its efforts in future, most importantly, will also not go to waste.
At the end of the day, Singaporeans will recognise that the WP will time and again, support important causes that others conveniently dismiss. We may not always agree with everything they do, but we will know that they have dared to speak up for its people and make us proud to wear blue.
https://www.facebook.com/yudhishthra/posts/10157146231725912
