The Latest Breaking News from Lee Hsien Loong

It may only be the end of August, but this year has seen some major announcements in Southeast Asia that signal a major shift is taking place in the deeply-conservative region. But do the changes affect reality on a deeper level, or merely cement the status quo?

In the wake of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s Aug 21 pledge to protect the nation’s definition of marriage, which excludes same-sex unions, in the Constitution, the government quickly mobilised top ministers to try to calm a storm brewing between the LGBTQI+ community and some religious groups.

Under Singapore’s Section 377A, offenders could be jailed for up to two years

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Singapore’s gay community says the government’s plan to decriminalize sex between men is “a triumph of love over fear.”

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the government will repeal a colonial-era law that criminalizes sex between men, a major step forward in a region where homosexuality faces discrimination and prosecution.

Scrapping of colonial-era section 377A law hailed as ‘a win for humanity’ by LGBTQ+ rights groups

Singapore announced it will decriminalize sex between men by repealing a colonial-era law while protecting the city-state's definition of marriage

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he believed it is the "right thing to do now" as most Singaporeans will now accept it. However, he said the city-state does not plan to allow for same-sex marriage.