REACH poll suggests substantial support among Singaporeans for NLB move
Whether they are aware of the National Library Board saga over children’s books with gay themes or not, one in two Singaporeans believe that titles “not in line with traditional family values” should not be on children’s shelves in the library, a government telephone poll found.
Of all 843 respondents who were surveyed by state outreach portal REACH between 14 and 17 July, 52 per cent agreed with the statement that books promoting values not in line with traditional family values should not be made available in the children’s section of public libraries.
Those who disagreed made up 21 per cent, while the neutral ones comprised 23 per cent.
Also, four out of every 10 Singaporeans surveyed said they knew nothing of the saga in the first place. The controversy itself began when news surfaced that the NLB had decided to pull out two children’s books –
“And Tango Makes Three” and “The White Swan Express: A Story About Adoption” – from library shelves after receiving a complaint that they were not “pro-family”.
The NLB drew flak from several quarters for the move, as well as for a subsequent decision to destroy the books through “pulping”. However, it also received support from people supporting the idea that a family should consist of one father, one mother and children.
Among the 513 respondents who were aware of it, though, more than 43 per cent supported the National Library Board (NLB)’s controversial move.
Another 28 per cent disagreed and 23 per cent were neutral regarding it. The remainder said that they were not sure.
However, when the group aware of the issue was asked what the NLB should have done with the three removed titles, only 22 per cent said they wanted the library to destroy them, while more than half called for other things to be done — moving them to the adults’ section (21 per cent), putting them in a restricted borrowing section (13 per cent) and donating them to people or organisations who want the books (13 per cent), for instance.
Responding to the findings, REACH chairman Amy Khor, who is also senior minister of state for health and manpower, noted that this issue is a decidedly “divisive” one that “can fracture us as a country”.
“In the interest of all Singaporeans and future generations, let us discuss this rationally and find a common ground that we can agree on,” she added.
Earlier on Friday, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim put a stop to the planned pulping of the more recently-banned two titles, “And Tango Makes Three” as well as “The White Swan Express: A Story About Adoption”, instructing them to place the books in the adult section.
A third title, “Who’s In My Family: All About Our Families” had already earlier been removed and destroyed, however.
Responding in a statement on Friday afternoon, the U.S. Embassy here said it welcomed the government’s decision to avoid pulping the books, which were written by American authors.
"The U.S. is strongly committed to upholding universal values of human rights and fundamental freedoms. These include freedom of access to knowledge, which lies at the heart of a successful democracy, and is key in creating an informed and dynamic citizenry,” it added.
