So the Minister for Social and Family Development, Chan Chun Sing, says pro-infidelity website Ashley Madison (tagline: Life is short, have an affair) is not welcome in Singapore. “Promoting infidelity undermines trust and commitment between a husband and wife, which are core to marriage,” he says. A Facebook group petitioning against Ashley Madison’s plans to launch here next year garnered more than 25,000 likes in less than a week. And the MDA says it will take public sentiment into account when evaluating the site, if and when it is set up. But just what do the public really think about it? We hit the streets to find out.
Of the husbands and wives we polled, 100% said they strongly opposed such an insidious platform, though went on to say that they were a little too busy to sign the petition as they needed to get back to trawling AdultFriendFinder, Badoo, Tinder and the host of other platforms already available here for their next discreet liaison.
The gay couples we spoke to said that, as with all depraved practices, they loved the idea of an affair, but would regrettably not be able to indulge since they’re still not allowed to get married here in the first place. So it wouldn’t be an affair they’d be having, just a very heated argument the next morning.
Asked whether they’d mind their parents playing away, the kids we spoke to said they weren’t sure it’d make much difference. One pointed out that it had been a full three weeks since he’d looked up from his iPad and admitted he could no longer pick out his parents in a crowd. Another said she was in favor of anything that would make her mom and dad happier, but since neither of her parents ever come home from work before midnight she doubted they would have time to cheat.
The older generation were a little more reticent. Most said they’d love to stop and discuss whether such a development would lead to the corruption of traditional values and an increase in morally suspect behavior, but were in a bit of a rush to get to the blackjack tables at the Integrated Resorts.
Down at the Merlion, visiting tourists said they were surprised at all the fuss. “Don’t you guys have a problem making babies?” asked one. “Maybe you need to stop worrying about who and where they come from.”
One group, however, was defiantly opposed to the idea. “We’re right behind the sacred, inviolable institution of marriage,” said a made-up government spokesperson. “Also, we’ve already lost the Speaker of Parliament to an extra-marital affair. Let’s not make it any harder for ourselves.”
