Singapore debate on LGBTQ rights heats up in test for leaders

A woman wrapped in the rainbow flag is seen at the Pink Dot rally, Singapore's annual gay pride rally, at a park in Singapore July 1, 2017. - Reuters

SINGAPORE, Aug 27 (Bloomberg): 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 mobilized top ministers to try to calm a storm brewing between the LGBTQ community and some religious groups.

The next morning, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, the man tipped to succeed Lee as premier, spoke to the nation’s main broadcaster about how to "live harmoniously,” while Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam explained to the island’s biggest newspaper the move was to prevent the marriage definition being challenged in court.