that things have changed and that while the Singapore government is secular, it
did not operate in a vacuum. “We also look into community norms, we have to see
how society is shaping,” the Minister says.
It’s a trend that is causing poet Wong to furrow his brows in consternation. With
religious fundamentalism on the rise not just in Singapore but around the world,
Wong is worried that compassionate and balanced discussion in Singapore’s
public sphere might be replaced with irrational hate speech and unthinking
censorship. “Positive change begins with the flowering of discursive minds in our
education system…and the liberalisation of our media,” says Wong. “Censorship
must not be allowed to progress unethically and unthinkingly, but be up for
continual debate and adaptation in the spirit of greater inclusivity.”
Fortunately, the NLB, in response to the controversy, has taken the step to finetune its book selection and review processes and to introduce a new advisory
panel that will assess the suitability of any addition to the library.
CENSORSHIP AND THE BUILDING BLOCKS
OF SINGAPORE
FAMILIES IN SINGAPORE
At the centre of the discussion is the definition of what constitutes a
family in Singapore. The books’ opponents maintain the argument that
a man and a woman, joined in holy matrimony, with children is the only
viable and correct classification of a