This was reported in the Straits Times on 8th May.
IN THE first case of its kind, a chef infected with HIV was charged in court yesterday with engaging in oral sex with a 16-year-old without first informing him of the risks of contracting the virus that causes Aids.Chan Mun Chiong, 43, pleaded guilty to that charge as well as to another of committing an act of gross indecency with the teen.
The Ministry of Health summons charge said he had oral sex without first telling the teenager about the HIV risk. He also failed to get him to voluntarily agree to accept that risk. The offence carries a fine of up to $10,000 or up to two years in jail, or both.
The sex charge said that the bespectacled, spiky-haired man and the boy performed the sex acts in a cubicle of a men’s toilet at the Northpoint Shopping Centre in Yishun on Sept 15 last year. For the gross indecency charge, he faces a jail term of up to two years.
Chan, who did not have a lawyer, was released on $10,000 bail. He is expected back in court today for his case to be dealt with.
He does not face stiffer penalties that were passed by Parliament last month as they had yet to go into effect.
Under amendments to the Infectious Diseases Act, those found guilty of having unprotected sex even if they do not know but have ‘reason to believe’ that they have or have been exposed to HIV can be jailed for up to 10 years and/or fined up to $50,000.
The Health Ministry has in the past investigated some cases, but no one has been prosecuted until yesterday.
One case was compounded last year. In another case, a foreigner being investigated left the country in 2005 before he could be charged.
‘Tis the season, not for merry and joy, but for news after news of institutionalized homophobia, here in Singapore. Firstly, two media providers were separatelyfined by the MDA for airing content deemed to be too pro-gay, barely weeks apart. Secondly, a gay sauna was unreasonably and (possibly extra-legally) raided by the police.
Fridae.com, in support of People Like Us’ Indignation gay pride season, is organising the Singapore premiere of the film ‘Wilde’ on Tuesday 13 May 2008, at the Lido theatres.
Directed by Brian Gilbert, this 1997 film tells the story of celebrated poet, novelist and playwright Oscar Wilde, who in 1895 was convicted of ‘gross indecency’ under a UK law that was the precursor of Singapore’s infamous Section 377A. Wilde was a martyr to the moral hypocrisy of his time, and which unfortunately still lives on in Singapore.
The film was banned by the Singapore censors when first released. It has now been re-rated under revised film guidelines (post 2002 censorship review) as R21.
Fridae’s gala premiere is intended as a fund-raiser for Indignation, since Indignation events themselves (scheduled for August 2008) are traditionally free of charge, in order to be accessible to everyone. Tickets are priced at $20 (US$15) and $50 (US$38) - the latter includes a cocktail reception - and are available from Fridae’s movie site, or more directly from their tickets shop.
Crocodile men’s wear and Shaw theatres are the other sponsors and People Like Us would like to express our thanks to them and Fridae for their support.
Sayoni has been, and still is, a proud participant in Indignation over the years, and we would like to express our full support to this Gala Premiere.
The following news story was spotted on the blog of a local gay blogger - the original newsletter that was sent out is not available for linking. Club 1-7 is a male-only sauna, and such saunas are popularly associated with cruising venues for queer men.
From 1-7 newsletter
Dear members,
Our water supply was turned off at 10pm on the 25th April 2008, Saturday. When we opened the back door to investigate and turn it back on, a few plain-clothed officers from the CID rushed in. Sam immediately tried to stop them and demanded to know what was going on. They told him that they were conducting a ’spot-check’. When asked what they were checking for, they simply repeated ’spot-check’. the officers refused to specify what they were checking for despite repeated demands. Sam also asked if they had a warrant to check the premises. They refused to reply.
At this point in time, we turned on all the lights upstairs and downstairs to alert the members that a check was going on. None of the members were stopped from dressing or leaving, nor were they searched or any particulars taken.
When a female officer tried to enter, Sam repeatedly shouted that she was not allowed to enter as we are a private men’s club and insisted that she leave. Thereupon, the supervising officer threw Sam to the ground and twisted his arms behind his back to handcuff him. Because of this, Sam sustained cuts to his wrist and bruises on his left rib, for which he was later brought to the Singapore General Hospital for treatment.
The officers only removed several DVDs and Sam was arrested and spent the night in jail. He has been charged with assaulting (pushing) the officer that handcuffed him despite never having laid hands upon him. Sam is 74 years old. The officer was about 40.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will give a free return visit to anyone who was here when the incident occurred - just tell the front desk.
We are open for business as usual for our 8TH YEAR from 11:30am to 11:30pm on weekdays and from 11:30am till 7am the following day on Fridays and Saturdays.
Club One Seven.
Editor’s Note: The above letter has been edited for minor grammar and spelling, but the content has not been altered.
TV Channel 5 has been fined by the Media Development Authority (MDA) for an episode in an acquired series, “Find and Design”. The episode normalises and promotes a gay lifestyle and was aired on Sunday, 13 January 2008 at 7.30am.
The programme “Find and Design” is a home and decor series and in the episode concerned, the host helps a gay couple to transform their game room into a new nursery for their adopted baby. The episode contained several scenes of the gay couple with their baby as well as the presenter’s congratulations and acknowledgement of them as a family unit in a way which normalises their gay lifestyle and unconventional family setup. This is in breach of the Free-to-Air TV Programme Code which disallows programmes that promote, justify or glamourise gay lifestyles.
MDA also consulted the Programme Advisory Committee for English Programmes (PACE) and the Committee was also of the view that a gay relationship should not be presented as an acceptable family unit. As the programme was shown on a Sunday morning, PACE felt that this was inappropriate as such a timeslot was within family viewing hours.
Taking into account the severity of the breach, the telecast time of the programme and the fact that this was a second breach for MediaCorp TV, MDA found that a financial penalty was warranted and issued MediaCorp TV a fine of $15,000.
So, just showing that gay people exist, and can be happy, is such an anathema that it has to be regulated by repeated stiff-upper-lip fines and threats, in this sunny island of Singapore. Once again, the authorities fail to recognise that there can be no “promotion” of homosexuality - people are either queer or they are not.
What is this harm that they are bending over backwards to protect the people from? Because, the only thing that will result from watching the program is that maybe more people will be more accepting of homosexuality and learn that it is possible to have a happy gay family, that we are not all drug-using promiscuous unhappy people. Once again, this change in attitude, the acknowledgment that gay people are human, does not mean that they are going to BE gay. We are normal people living normal lives, paying our mortgages and taxes, going to work, contributing to society.
The authorities are trying hard, very very hard, to make sure there is no way that attitudes can be changed in any way. What they are protecting is not families, but the shell that people live in, to make sure there is absolutely no possibility intolerant attitudes can change, because that would really mean the end of the world, if there was a little less hate in our hearts for people who are different from us.
Protecting hate can be a tough job, and we extend our congratulations to the authorities for doing a fine job of it.
Sayoni commemorated our 2nd Anniversary in style on 12th April, at a rustic world-war-II bunker-like space in Food#03, a rising social entrepreneurship cafe. The party was the culmination of months of planning and preparation, from the drinks to the decorations.
We were hosted by O’Ren Ishii, a new-found MCing talent within Sayoni who entertained the crowd with her wicked sense of humour and presentation.
The highlight of the party was the Sayoni Awards 2008, where a series of fun titles were handed out to our beloved members, such as Drama Queen of the Year, Sticky Rice Couple of the Year etc.
But apart from poking harmless fun at our members, we also know how to honour the outstanding women in our community. Ms Yong Meiling was awarded the prestigious Sayoni Woman of the Year 2008 title, with a beautiful crystal trophy.
This is what Jean had to say when she honoured Ms Yong Meiling with the trophy.
I first got to know Meiling in 2005, hoping to meet the leaders who are in charge of OC Women. We met up, I remember Meiling said she was ‘just helping out’ and nothing more. Over the years, it became, ‘helping out’, to ‘contributing’ to Program Director of OC women. And maybe boss now.
Empathetic, Street smart and certainly no push over, Meiling has shown a remarkable willingness to make a step back for others to lead, change her mind over issues and stand up for those she believes in. We have all seen how OC women’s support group changed people’s lives. Always wanting to ignore our presence, society and gay men alike, it has been the ‘hope in the dark’ when all else is bleak in the society we live in now. Without demanding for hope, we would not have struggled, and without struggle we would not have been here. Virginia Woolf wrote in her journal, “The future is dark, which is on the whole, the best thing the future can be, I think.” Dark, she seems to say, not as in terrible. We often mistake the one for the other. To me, dark as in the familiar female womb where we all come from ready to burst forward to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Today, we honor Yong Meiling, helper to program director of OC Women.
We hope to celebrate many many more anniversaries with you, and continue honouring women in our community.
We at Sayoni are appalled by this decision, which we consider not only a slap in the face of the gay community, but also yet another example of contravening freedom of speech.
The video in question can be viewed here. We invite the viewers to judge whether the content was graphic enough to invite the fine.
The Media Development Authority has fined StarHub Cable Vision $10,000 for airing a commercial that depicted “lesbian kissing scenes”.
The MDA posted a statement yesterday on its website about the cable operator’s breach of TV advertising guidelines, “which disallows advertisements that condone homosexuality”.
The commercial, which aired over two days in November on MTV’s Mandarin-language channel, was to promote a song by pop singer Olivia Yan.
Her music video from the album Silly Child featured two scenes of herself and Taiwanese actress Pei Lin in a “passionate embrace”, as described last November in the Taipei Times.
The portrayal of a lesbian in a music video was supposedly a first for Taiwan, the paper reported.
According to the MDA, in the commercial, “romanticised scenes of two girls kissing were shown and it portrayed the relationship as acceptable”.
The MDA had consulted the Advisory Committee for Chinese Programmes, which concurred that the commercial had “promoted lesbianism as acceptable and romantic, especially when shown together with the lyrics featured”.
The MDA said it had taken into account the “severity” of the breach and that the commercial was aired on a youth-oriented TV channel, as well as SCV’s explanation on the matter before deciding “a financial penalty was warranted”.
StarHub expressed disappointment at the authority’s decision to impose a fine but said it would follow broadcasting rules. “We understand the authority’s concern, and will continue to work closely with our regional and international content partners to ensure that the local broadcasting guidelines are fully adhered to,” said StarHub spokesperson Caitlin Fua.
Sayoni supports the effort to repeal section 377A from the Penal Code of Singapore, and we would like to request all our readers to sign the online letter to the Prime Minister with your real name.
Please do tell your friends and loved ones about it too. Every signature counts, and this is your opportunity to tell the government that discrimination is unacceptable.
To know more about the penal code and the amendments:
What are the real needs of gay people? And how do we reach out to them?
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This was the third run of Indignation this year. As expected, it was highly anticipated and many activists and volunteers were preoccupied with its preparation and execution. There was a great variety of events being planned, and this time there was an improved ‘gender balance’ in terms of the programs offered. There were also some landmark events, such as the kissing exhibition and a public sharing by 3 transsexuals. All in all, a very exciting two weeks indeed.
For most of the events I attended, the program ran smoothly without many hiccups and plenty of refreshments were provided. There were also many helpful volunteers on hand to distribute flyers, souvenirs and usher people to their seats. The topics covered in the events themselves were wisely chosen as they were pertinent and perhaps even taboo (yes even in the gay community itself!) and they were thoroughly discussed. In fact, there was a huge range in terms of programs offered: from forums, to dialogues to readings and film screenings. Indeed, there was much to learn through the sharing of people’s perspectives, their struggles and triumphs.
Just before leaving Singapore after a week here performing William Shakespeare’s “King Lear” and Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull”, renowned actor Sir Ian McKellen left a video message in support of the gay community of Singapore, with a special mention of Indignation, the LGBT pride season.
To movie-goers, Sir Ian McKellen is better known as the wizard Gandalf in Lord of the Rings Trilogy, James Whale in Gods and Monsters, Magneto in X-Men and the Da Vinci Code.
Transcript :
Hello, this is Ian McKellen. I’m speaking to you from Singapore where I’ve had the most wonderful time with the Royal Shakespeare Company working at the Esplanade Theatre for the Singapore Repertory Theatre. I knew very little about Singapore until I came here and I was immediately encaptured by the beauty of the place, the old buildinggs as well as the new, the old culture and the new, and the people, who were unfailingly friendly and helpful at every turn. And of course, being openly gay, I managed to meet a lot of gay people.
And then we come to the one thing I don’t like about Singapore, which is 377A. You know that law. It’s a British law, and why the hell you’ve not got rid of it, I’m not quite sure. Well, I am sure, because it’s taken us a long time in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world to deal with these old problems, these ancient attitudes which need to be removed if we’re going to be part of the 21st Century. So it’s very important that gay people, wherever they are, should identify themselves, stick up for themselves, represent themselves, modestly and positively, so the rest of the world knows that we’re here and we’re not going to go away. And we’re happy to be here.
And that’s why Indignation is so important. Have a wonderful time. I congratulate the organisers and I hope it’s a step, certainly in the right direction, but a positive step towards one day getting rid of 377A. And you know I’m on your side, and I send you all my love. Bye Bye.
Above is taken from www.plu.sg. For full schedule of indignation programs go to www.plu.sg/indignation
A line-up of exciting events, ready to make you laugh, cry and think. This year, we present 5 diverse events, and guess what, boys? You can come and play too.
Events in chronological order:
This ground-breaking event will cover issues that bisexuals face every day in coming out, relationships and finding their own space within the queer community. Can bisexuals ever be monogamous? Are bisexuals in straight relationships traitors to the GLBT community? Fearless and unshy of controversy, this forum is for anyone who has once asked these questions.
同不同 - DOES LIKENESS MATTER?
Date: Saturday, 4 August 2007
Time: 7:30 - 9:30 pm
Venue: 72-13 Queer-themed Chinese writing has found a place in Singapore’s literary landscape, individually. Now they will come together at this groundbreaking event, for dialogue and expression. Celebrating diversity, this promises to be a literary treat for all. Featuring academic and playwright Quah Syren, writer Ng How Wee, young writers Teng Qian Xi, Willy Yeo and more, the audience will be treated to a forum wherein the intricacies of forbidden love and its inspiration, as spoken through Singapore Chinese literary works (original and translated), are explored. Follow us as we seek camaraderie in diversity. Or perhaps it doesn’t matter at all.
How do women who don’t pair up primarily to procreate view the expiry of their youth and ovaries? Ovidia’s short story takes a light-hearted look at how one woman who’s no longer entitled to free drink vouchers on Ladies’ Nights survives the stereotypes of middle age, straying lovers and a (sterilised) ex-stray cat.Yi-sheng’s offering, on the other hand, is a spicy phantasmagoric romp through the eyes of a man who sexually desires old men.
Queer relationships don’t last compared to straight relationships. In this talk, Anj Ho will challenge such myths with research literature and present to you what have been found to make relationships tick. Regardless of your orientation, you will find this interactive talk refreshingly informative.
OCWomen and Sayoni are pleased to bring you a groundbreaking workshop which focusses on our selves in relationships.
The workshop takes you through a light-hearted process of reflection on your past/present relationships with the aim of providing you with greater clarity and self awareness.
Understanding the types of relationships we have lived through and the dynamics in the partnerships we make, gives clarity to what we are like when we are in a relationship. Understanding ourselves in our relationships is key to truly living a relationship.
Clarity and honesty within is crucial when inspecting our numerous motivations and our modes of operation. Only then will we begin to know who we truly are and build the relationship that resonates us. There will also be interactive discussions on the types of relationships, the roles that we play in them and signs of negative relationships.
Fridae’s gala premiere is intended as a fund-raiser for Indignation, since Indignation events themselves (scheduled for August 2008) are traditionally free of charge, in order to be accessible to everyone. Tickets are priced at $20 (US$15) and $50 (US$38) - the latter includes a cocktail reception - and are available from 
This ground-breaking event will cover issues that bisexuals face every day in coming out, relationships and finding their own space within the queer community. Can bisexuals ever be monogamous? Are bisexuals in straight relationships traitors to the GLBT community? Fearless and unshy of controversy, this forum is for anyone who has once asked these questions.
Queer-themed Chinese writing has found a place in Singapore’s literary landscape, individually. Now they will come together at this groundbreaking event, for dialogue and expression. Celebrating diversity, this promises to be a literary treat for all. Featuring academic and playwright Quah Syren, writer Ng How Wee, young writers Teng Qian Xi, Willy Yeo and more, the audience will be treated to a forum wherein the intricacies of forbidden love and its inspiration, as spoken through Singapore Chinese literary works (original and translated), are explored. Follow us as we seek camaraderie in diversity. Or perhaps it doesn’t matter at all.
