13 March 2005
Open letter to Minister for Health Khaw Boon Wan
Dear Minister Khaw,
I am writing with regard to my concerns about the recent statements made in Parliament by MOS (Health) Dr Balaji Sadasivan on associating gay parties with "spike" in AIDS cases in Singapore. I look to our ministers as informed and responsible national leaders or what Confucius would call Jun Zi. But, even speaking as a hetrosexual male Singaporean, his speech is shockingly uneducated, unsubstantiated, hostile and dangerous. The texts of his remarks remind me more of Germany in the late 1930s than of contemporary Singapore. In another country, his apology and resignationwould be swiftly called for. Dr Balaji's repeated sweeping generalisations on homosexual Singaporeans has already done untold damage of further stigmatising a community that has in its own ways contributed to the development and prosperity of our country, even as if their sexual orientation have been different.
I regret the rather explicit language expressed on one of your minister, but, I am sure that you would agree that by merely appropriating blame or the act of creating scapgoats is not going to solve the problem of the Aids epidemic. On the other hand, it would only breed more hatred and ignorance. Although the state has claimed that it does not discriminate against gays, the actual policies from cradle to grave have proven otherwise. For a long time, Admitted, I have been programmed by the state endorsed version of sexuality to be homophobic. I am only beginning to shake off this prejudice during the past few years, but there are many who have not.
I believed that the government is sincere in creating a more inclusive and open Singapore and I urge you to excerise your authority to get the priorities right on fighting the Aids epidemic as a collective Singaporean responsiblity rather than the coming up with irrelevant and repressive policies on complusory tests for married and pregnant women or laying blame on gays.
It would be sad to stay in a country where one group is constantly living in fear and uncertainity from the hatred and prejudices of the majority.
Thank you for your kind attention from an ordinary but concerned Singaporean
Yours sincerely,
Liew Kai Khiun