An MP has spoken in support of repealing the anti-gay law which makes it illegal for men to have sex with other men.

At a forum to discuss a controversial issue - should homosexuality remain outlawed here? - Mr Baey Yam Keng, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, was asked for his position if Parliament took a vote on this issue. He said he would say "aye" to do away with the law.

"Personally, I think the whip should be lifted for a very open debate and open expression of opinion by the MPs. And if that was so, I would vote for a repeal of the act. From my understanding of my parliamentary colleagues, my guess is that I will be in the minority," said the MP at a packed forum yesterday organised by local theatre company W!ld Rice at the National Library.

Lifting the whip means MPs can vote according to their convictions and do not have to toe the party line.

Also giving his support to repeal the anti-gay law was Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong, who had previously oppposed Section 377A of the Penal Code, which bans homosexual sex.

Both were members of a forum panel yesterday that included gay activist Alex Au, found of gay media company Fridae Stuart Koe, and Methodist church leader Reverend Yap Kim Hao. And the focus of the discussion was Section 377A, which criminalises homosexual acts. More than 100 people attended the forum and most of them indicated that they wanted Section 377A repealed, according to a report in Today.

When the Home Affairs Ministry proposed changes to the Penal Code last year, it said it would retain the ban on acts of "gross indecency" between men.

NMP Siew pointed out that the battle was not to convince the naysayers, but those who are undecided about whether homosexuality should be decriminalised.

He said that change would be possible "once you get that mass, enough people in the middle, to agree with you," but added: "I don't think we're at that point".

Mr Baey, in expressing support to repeal Section 377A, drew an analogy between homosexual sex and drinking or smoking.

"There should be a distinction between what the Government wants to discourage, and what it wants to criminalise," he said.

"The Government can make it more difficult to access drinking and smoking, but you are still allowed to drink and smoke. So, you can discourage homosexual sex without criminalising it."

But Mr Baey emphasised that he did not think this issue would be decided through public consensus.

"From what I understand of how the Government works, I don't think the government will make a decision based on a survey...The Government would want to make its own stand and position on issues like this," he said.

Changing the law would require "some progressive thinking and also people who are able to influence the Cabinet's thinking."

Added Mr Siew: "You've got to frame it in a lingo that will convince the Government."

"And what's that lingo? I think we all know. It's all about growth, jobs, money. If you make a convincing case that 377A is somehow affecting that, I think you've got a really good chance."

While he welcomed recent remarks by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Mr Siew acknowledged that changing the law would put Malay/Muslim MPs in a difficult position with their community.

In an interview with Berita Harian published two weeks ago, MM Lee said the Government should not act like moral policemen, "prying on consenting adults".

He also reiterated his view that homosexuals "were mostly born that way", but recognised that Singapore is a conservative society and cannot go as far as some countries that recognise gay marriage.

Speaking at the forum, Reverend Dr Yap said that within the Christian faith in Singapore, there was a "minority which is vocal" which strongly opposes any move to repeal the Act.

But Mr Au argued that the debate on Section 377A was not one of religion, but civil rights.

Whatever the views, almost everyone present agreed that Singapore is now a lot more open to different points of views ? even though they were all talking to the converted - and this was reflected in yesterday's forum, which would not have been possible five years ago