Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalizedgay sex between men, was officially repealed on January 3.
President Halimah approved the repeal on December 27, following the passing of the measure by the legislature on November 29.
The approval was announced in the Government e-Gazette.
In addition, the Singaporean Constitution was revised to safeguard the meaning of the institution of marriage.
On December 27th, President Halimah approved the repeal of S377A and the amendment of the Constitution.
This effectively decriminalizes gay sex between men.
Following a two-day debate in which the Workers' Party decided to lift the whip on its members, the act was passed in Parliament.
The lifting of the whip meant that WP representatives were no longer obligated to vote in accordance with party directions.
Nonetheless, the party refrained from adopting an official position on 377A, enabling its members to form their own views.
The PAP, meanwhile, voted to abolish S377A and alter the Constitution to safeguard the definition of marriage.
93 members of parliament were in favor of repealing S377A.
Lee believes that despite shifting perceptions, the meaning of marriage must be safeguarded.
During the National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong emphasized that Singapore's stance on homosexuality has changed.
Most agree that homosexual lifestyle is a matter of privacy and should not be criminalized.
However, due to worries that marriage rules may alter in the future if S377A is repealed, the government has resolved to defend the constitutional definition of marriage against court challenges.
The prevalent social view is that marriage should continue to be defined as the union of a man and a woman.
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