MM tackles queries on casinos, homosexual sex

The Straits Times, April 25, 2007


MM Lee was asked during the dialogue about the integrated resorts and reported concerns about those linked to casinos.

His response: 'Well, we knew that when we decided to go for these integrated resorts with two casinos, we were exposing ourselves to social and criminal problems and we're going to take every measure possible to make sure that we do not lose the qualities that we have - which is social order, low crime, no money laundering, no Mafia.

'We try every single precaution and we'll take every remedial action that's necessary. But as for partners, Genting, if you talk about Macau's Stanley Ho, I say that's a matter for the police and the financial people who know about money laundering and what goes on in Macau, what had gone on in Macau, to decide.

'And if they say, 'This is an arrangement that would tend to open loopholes into our system and bring it into Singapore', then we back them.

'This is an expert judgment that they have to make. And if they feel that that's a risk, we say, 'Let's not take it'.

'I'm not saying that Stanley Ho is a money launderer but our people believe that (during) his time in Macau there was a lot of such laundering of money. And maybe it's got nothing to do with him, but maybe it's got to do with the Portuguese regime that ran Macau. But we are not taking any risks.'

In an interview with Reuters before the dialogue, MM Lee was asked about comments he made during a Young PAP event last Saturday.


Reuters: Did we read this correctly, you saying that we should decriminalise it (homosexual sex) eventually?

MM Lee: Eventually I cannot put a finger on it. But I would say if this is the way the world is going and Singapore is part of that interconnected world, and I think it is, then I see no option for Singapore but to be part of it.