Celebrity Debaters Feature #1

See where debating can get you in life? Haha. According to somebody, this character playing Championship Manager is a lie though. This is what they mean by you not being able to trust the media. :)

THE E-MAIL INTERVIEW: PAUL TAN
Who says we shouldn't talk about sex

By Wong Kim Hoh

HOMOSEXUALS were put in the spotlight recently when Dr Balaji Sadasivan said that Singapore might face an 'alarming Aids epidemic' if increasing HIV infection rates were not checked.

The Senior Minister of State For Health singled out homosexuals and straight men who have casual sex in other countries as two key groups that need attention.

He also criticised Action For Aids (AFA), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to fighting the disease, for not being tough enough in educating gay men about the dangers of casual sex.

The number of new infections has hit a record high, with 257 cases reported in the first 10 months of this year, compared to 242 new cases reported for all of last year.

The debate that ensued prompted National University of Singapore law student Paul Tan to write to The Straits Times.

The frequent Forum page contributor argued that the fight against Aids was failing because of 'our refusal to break down the attitude of Singaporeans that sex is a deep, dark, sinful affair better kept in the shadows of one's bedroom than embraced openly as part and parcel of everyday life'.

Mr Tan, who says he has had 20 letters published in the Forum pages, is a debater who has represented his school, university and Singapore in many regional and international competitions. He spent two terms at New York University's Law School as an exchange student. While there, he served as associate editor for the International Journal Of Constitutional Law.

His parents used to be teachers and he has a younger brother who is studying law at Cambridge University.

Asked why he is so outspoken and passionate about his views, he says: 'I love Singapore immensely and that is why I take a keen interest in what happens.'

Whether he's straight or gay, he says, should not affect the way his arguments are viewed.

'In the last eight years, I've had more than 40 articles and letters published in different newspapers and magazines. I've consistently argued for the rights of women, the elderly, racial and religious minorities, and persons accused of crimes. I've even written about soccer and obesity.

'I'm a 24-year-old Chinese male of Catholic faith who only plays Championship Manager, hasn't seen the inside of jail and weighs less than 50kg. If we seek change only because we are personally affected, then we are not a gracious society. It should concern all of us even if it's one poor, uneducated, lonely HDB dweller dying from the disease.'

Q : What's happening in the gay community that the number of HIV infections is on the rise?

A : First, let's not confuse the increase in detections with an increase in infections. The statistics probably reflect the twofold increase in the number of homosexuals being tested in the last three years. Let's think positive. It's good that people are being tested. I suspect this is due to the greater liberalisation allowed under former prime minister Goh Chok Tong. Homosexuals don't feel as persecuted, so they're more willing to identify themselves. The last thing we should do is use these statistics to justify suppression of the gay community. Then we close off any connection and trust we have with them. The problem goes underground. That's when it becomes an epidemic.

Q : Would you say that men who are promiscuous and engage in unsafe sexual practices are giving the gay community a bad name?

A : Promiscuity always carries emotional resonance with socially and religiously conservative segments in society, so homosexuals who are promiscuous make themselves an easy target. The perception that Aids is a 'gay disease' comes from society's own stereotyped perceptions because, clearly, not all homosexuals behave the same way. But I do think homosexuals owe it to themselves to be socially responsible.

Q : How do we reach out to them?

A : You can't tar everyone with the same brush. Individuals differ as to why they don't practise safe sex. Some think they won't get it; others don't know about HIV and how it is passed on. Generally though, there has to be a concerted educational effort.

Q : Do you agree with Dr Balaji's statement that Action For Aids has not done too well in educating gay people on the dangers of casual sex?

A : I spoke with my friend, an AFA volunteer. He tells me they do a lot of good work. They organise educational campaigns. They go online to IRC chatrooms to offer safe-sex advice.

They have over 100 volunteers. They also run the only clinic to offer anonymity to those who visit for HIV testing and counselling. For an NGO with no government support - and which often faces obstacles in propagating safe-sex messages to homosexuals - they do really amazing work.

Q : What is the most important hurdle that we have to cross so that we can tackle the problem?

A : The biggest hurdle is in seeing the problem for what it really is. Until we do, our proposals are going to be superficial. HIV is not just like any other infectious disease you can tackle by 'contact tracing' or immigration control. It is symptomatic of deeper structural flaws in the makeup of our society.

Q : You say diseases are symptomatic of larger socio-economic and political forces. Why?

A : Recently, Dr Balaji spoke of homosexuals and blue-collar bachelors as those forming the most 'at risk' groups. The common denominator is that these are groups marginalised by society and governmental policies.

Studies show that those most likely to take high risks sexually are those who feel they have no stake in society or who are not in an otherwise meaningful long-term relationship.

Q : The authorities have a lot of reservations about promoting condom use for fear of offending 'conservative people'. What is your take?

A : Any government would be wrong not to stress that abstinence is the best way to avoid spreading Aids. But that cannot be the only message when you know some people are not going to abstain. I ask these conservatives: Is it more offensive to talk about condoms or is it more offensive to have a young man robbed of his life because we refused to tell him about condoms?

There is a difference between talking about morality and doing things that produce morally just outcomes. Public policy should be based firmly on the latter.

Q : Do you think Singaporeans are pathetic in their knowledge of current affairs and apathetic about the world around them?

A : Obviously an overstatement, but true to some extent. I see two problems. One is that we're very suspicious of people who appear to undermine our assumptions about life - those who propose anything from casinos to safe sex.

The second problem is that I think we have a misplaced sense of nationalism that automatically rejects anything 'foreign'. I spent a year at New York University and found that a lot of the issues we face in Singapore are also issues Americans struggle with. We blind ourselves to a lot of insights when we dismiss ideas as being 'liberal' or 'Western'.

Q : You say you're often labelled a 'left winger'. You seem to suggest that you're misunderstood.

A : I think liberalism is misunderstood. Liberals are not amoral just because we believe in individual choice. We believe in family and religion as much as conservatives do. I know I do.

Labels are misleading and people spend too many words arguing about them and too little time thinking about how their policies affect people. I think the only question a policymaker should ask is this: Would you, if you were the target of that piece of legislation, accept it as fair, just and respectful of your worth as a morally responsible adult? The touchstone is equality, and not liberalism or conservatism.

Q : Would you accept if you were 'invited to tea'?

A : Public service has always appealed to me. If the opportunity presents itself, I will consider it. I think the most important criterion for me would be whether, by then, the party and its people share my fundamental concerns.