Andrew Loh
People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate for Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency (GRC), Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, made comments about a YouTube video that would raise “awkward questions” for the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). His comments were reported in the Sunday Times, 24 April.
Dr Balakrishnan and his team from the PAP are being challenged by the SDP team in the upcoming elections. The SDP team is led by Dr Vincent Wijeysingha, Mr Tan Jee Say, Mr Ang Yong Guan, and Ms Michelle Lee.
Following Dr Balakrishnan’s remarks, the SDP asked him to clarify the video he was referring to.
Today, Monday 25 April, Dr Balakrishnan and his GRC team issued a statement on the matter.
The PAP statement, which was undersigned by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and candidates Liang Eng Hwa, Christopher de Souza and Sim Ann, reads as follows:
“A video has been posted on the internet showing Vincent Wijeysingha participating at a forum which discussed the promotion of the gay cause in Singapore.
“The discussion at the forum also touched on sex with boys and whether the age of consent for boys should be 14 years of age.
“In the video, Wijeysingha was introduced as being from the SDP.
“In addition to other comments, Wijeysingha stated: ‘I think the gay community has to rally ourselves. Perhaps one outcome of today’s forum would be, for those of us who are interested, to come together to further consider how we can address the 377 issue as well as further rights issues in relation to gays and lesbians.’
“We believe that candidates should be upfront about their political agenda and motives, so that voters are able to make an informed choice.
“The issue is not Wijeysingha’s sexual orientation. That is a matter for him.
“The video raises the question on whether Wijeysingha will now pursue this cause in the political arena and what is the SDP’s position on the matter.”
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Dear Dr Vivian
Since the time you entered Parliament in 2001, how many FT homosexuals have the PAP brought in?
Vivian,
Don’t forget that God can use your enemies to destroy you and your people. You forgot what you have learned from the Bible.
Repent and compete fairly and squarely and try to redeem yourself
Zero, your concern of the direction of SDP regarding s.377A is misplaced. Why? You can’t extrapolate one person’s sexual preference and political stance, if any, to ALL other SDP candidates. That is false accusation AGAINST ALL SDP CANDIDATES and you are still persisting. Dr. Chee has come out to categorically state HIS PARTY stance on this matter (documented in this thread) i.e. SDP will NOT advance the cause of sexual politics because it is a demoncratic and INCLUSIVE in its political agenda.
To prefer that sort of wild unfound allegation against SDP and its candidates can only invites serious consequences. As I said, most of SDP candidates are married family-oriented and this is public knowledge thanks to Straits Times publishing.
You and Bala will find it IMPOSSIBLE, not merely impractical, of proving such strange allegation as…”awkward questions about the agenda and motivations of the SDP and its candidates.” regarding sexual politics in a court of law. In law, there is AN ASTRONOMICAL DIFFERENCE between “IMPRACTICALITY” and ‘IMPOSSIBILITY” – the former is uncertain and the latter is a DEFINITE outcome. I would strongly suggest that anyone accusing SDP and its candidates of advancing the sexuality law implied in s377A will be faced with the IMPOSSIBILITY of proof when they bring in their wives/husbands and children into the witness box of court evidence. In other words, the accusers have to prove motivations (mental state) of sexual politics when those accused have BY EVIDENCE OF THEIR CONDUCT in married relationships proved the CONTRARY! It is not even the “impracticality” of proving the sun rise in the west and set in the east as an analogy.
My ONE AND ONLY point of debate here is NEVER TO EXTEND one’s own speculative conjective to tar brush one and all in public and published ridicule merely because they are somehow “associated in- company”. It is simply “unjust, unreasonable and lacking in substance” against those who have been unjustifiably accused of. Please refrain and let this matter rests for the politicians to settle their equity.
Eff this Vivian lah! He’s trying to throw a red herring a-la James Gomez in 2006 instead of talking about issues of substance.
VB is now going all out to salvage his electoral prospects. He knows that it would be an immense uphill task to counter the oppositions’ queries on his ‘restaurant, food court or hawker centre’ dilemma and his YOG ‘achievements’. So hapless VB, what else can he do? MOUNT THE RAT AND RACE TOWARDS THE GUTTER.
What a cheap shot Bala whoever you call yourself. What a total disgrace to the high education you have and the credibility as a cabinet minister. Aren’t you suppose to support all Singaporeans regardless of who that are? You have a disgrace to your own religion which it is about love. This is right after the Christians celebrates their Easter.
To those christian who preach about sin against homosexuality, don’t ever go that way. Remember this ‘Let those who have no sin cast the first stone’. How then are we tolerating adultery which is one of the ten commandments. Don’t we hear about what the pappies members over the internet but these we took it as a pinch of salt? None of the oppositions ever brought up the gossips that are discussed over the internet.
How low can the pappies go with the slandering, mud slinging, and character assassination. Generation X and the rest of the well educated Singaporeans. This is time to stand up for what we believe in. In this time and age, we have not be more open minded. We need to judge a person on their worth and whether a person is a good person or a bad person. We want to have inclusion society.
From this, we can see that the incumbent government is a bigot and a hypocrite. Frankly, if they are so against homosexuality, then they better start weeding out those in the government and in the civil services because there many of them. They better stop this witch hunt now or it may get out of hand. Never go casting stones when living in the glass house.
VB,
Are you not tired of the Malaysian type of politics?? The type used on Anwar, with video tapes thrown in??!!
Pathetic fella!!
Wijeysingha should just come out and state exactly his position on gay issues
I am not against gays/ lesbian, its their choice.
However if he did advocate the legal age to 14 (if there is such a thing as legal age for homo) which I would interpret he is for gay/ lesbian relationships from as young as 14, then I believe is something seriously bad for this country if he becomes MP
VB is bankrupt of ideas , he stoops low with innuendoes and smear campaigns… he wants to better the gutter politics practiced across the causeway..He wants to be world class in gutter politics!
The reason why the PAP is losing its credibility and trust with the people is due in essence to people like VB!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Bz4TiRuhFNU
This is not about upfront about pro-gay but it is about the PRINCIPLE of Dr. Vincent Wijeysingha!!!!!!!
Looking at the youtube again it is very clear that Ravi wants to challenge the constitution from all fronts…including men having sex with young boys of 14 as this is practiced and OK in some parts of the world…..he kept uttering India, so I assume in certain parts of Indian villiages the law and customs do allow adult men to have sex with boys as young as 14……but hello, this is Singapore and I am writing in Canada! We do not condole even PEDOPHILE thoughts, period!
Dr. Vincent Wijessingha was there in the forum. He even spoke and went along with the flow BUT did NOT rebute on this part of “adult men having sex with 14 years old boys”. What excuse has he got for not registering an objection on such clause.
He is supposed to be a poltician and thus must be sensitive to sexaul exploitation and pedophile. Not objecting in such a public meeting imply he indirectly consent! Let me give you and eg. I was at a large Catholic teacher-parents meeting with the Alberta Minister of Education His Right Honourable Mr. Dave Handcock last winter, 2010. During his presentation he mentioned that he just visited the Singapore for a education conference. In the Question and Answer session I was the first to speak and I warned him NOT to follow the Singapore education system bec. of the level of stress and lack of creativity among students. Present were the Mayor of Edmonton, Catholic school supertendents, teachers, parents and my 14 yr old son….120 of us. I registered my disapproval.
If a lifeguard finds a dangerous act he will register his disapproval to blow the whister twice. A politician must also right away register his disapproval when Ravi cited this challenge to the constitution for allowing adult men to have sex with 14 years old boy. How can Dr. Vincent Wijessingha not able to catch the flaw. Well his excuse could be he is not as smart as me as I am graduated with a Masters degree from Imperial College…granted then.
I have now formed my judgement! I am NOT supporting SDP anymore! What damn “principle” he is talking about….he did not even stand up to protect kids! I am damn mad with such homosexual!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Dr. Vivian is more upright than you…..many times over!!!!!!What sort of moral teaching your father has given to you….he was the Principal of RI…shame on you and shame on your father!!!!!!!!!!!
I am prepared to fly back from Canada to Singapore and raise my voice or shout out in ALL conference and rallies this Dr. Vincent is in to ask him why he did not register his disapproval of lawyer citing adult men having sex with 14 years old boy……using it as one of the clause to challenge the constitution….pro-pedophile!? I have a 14 years old son so this issue is very much at home with me.
@ Bernard Chan, nice thesis there but hardly convincing. Ravi’s personal stance is his, it does it mean that everyone in there, if disagreeing, NECESSARILY shout him down publicly? Your notion that silence equals consent, let alone an imagined inference of necessary ‘guilty” plea, disgusts me as a MATTER OF PERSONAL BELIEF because no one is guilty of wrongdoing until proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Bringing lifeguard whistling analogy adds exaggeration to your post “higher-than-thou” moral platform. I have bad experience with high priest moral merchants of evangelism of divine should rule my life in Sydney. That episode nearly ended up in a street rough up of physical exchange. I could NOT accept the evangelism applied of “irresistable pressure’ on me to conform because I cannot fathom GOD, if exists, is male or female. Guess as this might shock you, I met up my “oppressor” years later in Singapore by chance, now turned suddenly friendly instead of animosity hostility. He flew in from Bangkok on business trip that morning and boasted unreservingly of his virility. His divine moral mantra now changed to this – “IF YOU ARE IN BANGKOK AND NOT BANGED YOUR (unprintable), if is like going to Beijing and NOT seeing the Great Wall of China!”.
Behaviour and preaching collides and switched around as one lives through life experiences. In that meeting, I registered no protest. Does my silence “prove” my “complicity” and “agreement” of what my former divine preacher did in Bangkok the night before with those believed to be underaged? I know precisely where I stand on those matters but unlike my tormentor, I refrain from judgment. I was NOT there to discourage him.
In similar vein, you have NOT establish a case of VW to answer UNLESS AND UNTIL YOU PROVED IT that he SPECIFICALLY UTTERED words to this effect – “I AGREED WITH UNDERAGED SEX EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN UNDER 14″.
VW is NOT a vulnerable suspect at a criminal trial relevant of his sexuality preference, WHY SHOULD HE EXPLAIN HIMSELF PUBLICLY when he might have registered his thought privately of not agreeing.
FERVENT PREACHINGS DOES NOT EQUAL TO BEHAVIOUR AND CAN BE COMPLETELY IN CONTRADICTION AS I FOUND OUT OF MY TORMENTING EVANGELIST’S BEHAVIOUR LONG AFTER WE NEARLY HAD A PUBLIC PHYSICAL FIGHT IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY.
Very sad to learn that my tormentor has long been called to be with the Lord after an unfortunate cancer affliction – too young to go and leave us here.
PLEASE THINK TWICE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MELAMINE GOVERMENT!
No doubt PAP have some good stuff in there, but mixed with melamine like Tin Pei Lin (Ris Low?), Puthucheary (you trust a guy who’s escaped NS?), Wong Kan Seng (insecure man in charge of our security?), Ng Eng Heng (man who’s forgotten his humble root?), Foo Mee Har (those in banking know her clandestine past, don’t you?), Sitoh Yiping (where were your $2 abalone sharks’ fin porridge for last 4 years?), Vivian Balakrishnan (Christian fanatic, and big YOG squanderer in charge of our community?), etc, the question is:
CAN SINGAPOREANS STILL SWALLOW THE PAP POWDER?!
Go figure this:
The Chinese do it with physical products: mixed melamine with otherwise fine milk powder.
The Americans do it with financial products: sell toxic subprime loans with A-grade loans.
And the Singapore PAP? They do it with political products: “offer” Tin Pei Ling with Lao Goh, ie force Singaporeans to take sub-standard candidates with Ministers.
So who is the smartest?
Just want to state categorically that I personally respect the talents and gifts that the LGBTs bring to our society. I have no problems with any of them representing our society as MPs if they will fight for our society’s agenda.
On the national front, it is interesting that some comments here have valued it as “progress” should LGBT be accepted as a nationally valid lifestyle choice. It will definitely be a change, but progress?
If this is true, Thailand can be classified as most “progressive” on this front and it is interesting that in their recent news, their main strategy of reducing the HIV infection rate is mainly targeted at the gay and transexual men community. Are they truely misguided in the tactics they are taking to tackle HIV infections?
The issues of housing, costs of living, stagnant wages, ministerial pay, accountability when national risks escape or with public funds are important, and like all of you, I want alternative voices to hold the incumbent accountable not just in raising these issues, but having the power to vote on them as an elected MP who represents a segment of our population.
However, in making a choice for an alternative party to represent us in parliament, it is also important to know the issues the parties will fight for. For me personally, supporting the repealing of 377A appears to be a slippery slope with costs to our society in terms of natural birth-rates, influences within our children’s compulsory education system and the family unit. These may add on to the issues we are already facing currently as a nation.
So for me personally, if the choice is only between PAP and a party who supports a repeal of 377A, I will spoil my vote.
Dr. Vivian, I admired your great and noble courage, as despite knowing the kind of reactions from these freakish homosexuals (and as witnessed in the last AWARE EOGM saga), you still persist to challenge Vincent Wijeysingha for the sake of your voters, and forced SDP and this despicable gay MP candidate with a hidden agenda to come clean officially and specifically with their election manifesto. Now they have no way to hide their intentions to fight, or should we say they can no longer fight for gays’ rights in parliament, it is a clear victory that you achieved for the majority Singaporeans who want to preserve the “One Man, One Woman” family nucleus within our society.
We are very grateful to you for making such a firm stand with these freakish homosexuals, as you had secured a healthy society for our next generations and stop the spread of the deadly homosexuality disease from infiltrating and infesting our youth. I know you’ll not feel despair with all these attacks that come your way, as we all know the outrage and anger these twisted freaks are experiencing now that the covert plot of SDP and Vincent Wijeysingha has been exposed. Just let them scream, yell and cry foul for all they want, as at the end of the day, the majority of Singaporeans will still choose to have a righteous guy like you to lead us towards a healthy society, free from all unnatural, freakish, deadly and abnormal sexual preferences and behaviours!
YOU ARE OUR HERO! Hip Hip Hurray (3x)!
vivian boy, your uncle gct says “lets play fair” you bad boy. you never listen to your elders.
how to respect you for that
Vivian Balakrishnan, Shame on you to stoop so low to use gutter style bashing. Do bear in mind that you are a Christian. No one has the right to judge another unless you are perfect, which I doubt so! You sounded cheap and uncouth when you spoke in Hokkien recently to try and woo the Chinese speaking public. Do pray for forgiveness as we have just celebrated Easter.
Agreed with Bernard Chan
Vivan, please don’t sidetrack the issue of you overspending the public money on YOG. Can you account for them?
What is with all these gay-bashing posts!!!???
I agree that the 14 year old thing might perhaps be a little crossing the line but are all these people living in some backward lala land??? I never thought Singapore was so homophobic!!
OMFG WTF!?
I am against the homosexual agenda of repealing 377. But that does not makes me a supporter of PAP either. But I believe that PAP will not hesitate to try various means to gain support from various sectors.
But opposition must be careful not to defame, else become bankrupt by lawsuits.
i am not gay, and i am not interested in gays or lesbians or what they do or who they are.
they are just there and they live in their own world without bothering me or the population.
A Christian PAP-MP (or worst, PAP Minister) will still anal f**ked you…………… and you cannot reject (unless you migrate away)
A Gay Opposition-MP will not anal f**k you, even if he attempted to, you still can push him away………
Hope it explains and clarify your doubt.
I suggest we don’t fall into pap’s trap. the more we talk about VB & VW, the more we loose focus on other more pressing and immediate issues that impact majority of Singaporeans.
A party that can only talk about sensational news instead of real national issue is not fit to lead us for the next 5 years. I fear for my future if they win.
Xiao1971, Your choice of words like “freakish homosexuals” and ‘twisted freaks” say a lot about you than those you lampooned. I hope you are not calling those who are bornt naturally with left-handed rather than the majority right-handed “twisted freaks” as well. You might one day shocked to find your own kid right in the thick of “twisted freaks” variety.
My advice to you is that the world is round, BUT NOT EXACTLY ROUND. Let others choose what they like as long as they don’t bother you and me since neither of us is coerced to join their prefered world. And if you don’t bed them, nothing will happen to you.
BTW, why don’t you confront the real issue here – why is SEX AND MORE SEX PRE-OCCUPIED the mind of Vivian’s drive for public attention when so many other more serious bread-and-butter issues to contest? Has the Government run out of ideas on how to manage this country and economy?
I recall Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has revealed that he has no problems with having homosexuals in Parliament, so why are you also politically farting here of sex instead of economics perhaps?
Vivian, obviously You are a man without principle or compassion.
I will never ever forget how you insulted the poor citizens with your “Where do they want to dine tonight; in a Restaurant; in a Foodcourt?” …..and what caused you to insult the poor citizens?…all they asked for was an additional $30 per month and your cruel and wicked answer only went on to hghlight the fact that you annual compensation as a servant of the public can fund 3,000 welfare receipients of $30 each month for 133,333 months!
Shame on you BOY….Shame on you!
And now you want to be a MORAL JUDGE….? go play by yourself in the corner..
If someone asked you to do this, please tell that person not to stoop so low. If you had wanted to do this, then please go to Malaysia. We don’t need this dirty tactics in singapore politics.
Bernard Chan
so I assume in certain parts of Indian villiages the law and customs do allow adult men having sex with 14 years old boys
…………..
bernard ole boi
havin assumed this and that somemore being a high rankin parent-catholic to the archibishop of canada
i hereby DEMAND why you never check the FACTS 1st before you degrade the whole indian nation..i also hereby registered with my disapporval of you BERNARD chan
on two count..
1)you break the scared law by tellin the world that india approved of underaged sex
2) you break the law by not bein a resposible father on educatin/guidn your teenage son which i ASSUMED that you are his bilogical father not some bhaii singh right?
afterall you did post this:
If a lifeguard finds a dangerous act he will register his disapproval to blow the whister twice. A politician must also right away register his disapproval when Ravi cited this challenge to the constitution
Country Male-Female Sex
India 14/16
Male-Male Sex Female-Female Sex
18 18
…………………
see? i also can shout bang table and watched canadian aupairs doin the bartop dancin while babysittin any ex-singaporean 14 ears ole son
………….
bernard ole boi
STOPPED SPAMMING/booasting/demandin as well
Miss Vivien promises no more dirty talk of s777A SEX AND MORE SEX politics and her “strange bedfellows” isn’t engaging in more political farting either.
Has they been shellacked by tribal leaders to keep their stinky greenhouse gas emissions inside their rear exit traps henceforth?.
The drama ended so abruptly after such a beat-up crecendo OF SEX-FILLED orgasmic thunder stealing the agenda limelight that rocked the blogoshphere. The eagles didn’t exactly got a safe landing but shot down POLITICALLY DEAD?
Hopefully,VB would concentrate on debating issues and not waste time in just trying to question a person’s sexual orientation.
In Western countries homosexuality is not considered a character flaw nor is it immoral.
Dr. Vivian, I am glad you have brought to light and made known to the public re the video. You did the right thing as the public has every right to know abt this video and based on the info, decide FOR THEMSELVES whether the party involved has an insidious agenda for entering the political arena.
To me, you did the right thing.
Dear Bernard, I am ashamed that I am in the college you once were.