Rule of law boosts Singapore's social fabric; government's job is to reflect social values in law: Edwin Tong
The law minister was speaking on a panel about the rule of law and Singapore's social fabric at the SGLaw200 Youth Forum, together with High Court Judge Mohamed Faizal Mohamed Abdul Kadir and Deputy Attorney-General Goh Yihan.
Law Minister Edwin Tong speaking at the SGLaw200 Youth Forum on May 13, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Alyssa Tan)
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SINGAPORE: The rule of law is a framework for strengthening Singapore's social fabric because it is "the basis on which we believe that no one is above the law, and so no segment of society will rise ahead or fall behind because of who we are", Law Minister Edwin Tong said on Wednesday (May 13).
As the government "sits in the middle of society and laws", it is also its duty to reflect the social values that society wants to see in the laws of the land, he said.
He pointed to how the law distinguishes harm caused to vulnerable people like children and the elderly, because society wants to send a strong signal that this is reprehensible. The law therefore inflicts harsher punishments on offenders who harm vulnerable victims.
Mr Tong was speaking on a panel about the rule of law and Singapore's social fabric at the SGLaw200 Youth Forum, together with High Court Judge Mohamed Faizal Mohamed Abdul Kadir and Deputy Attorney-General Goh Yihan.
The forum is part of commemorations for the bicentennial of Singapore's modern legal and judicial system.
Their wide-ranging dialogue also spanned the separation of powers in Singapore's legal system, ensuring access to justice and whether there is a "glass ceiling" for ethnic minorities in the judiciary.
During the dialogue with almost 500 attendees, an audience member referenced the law minister's earlier remarks about no one falling behind and asked about Singapore not allowing same-sex civil marriages for the LGBTQ community.
Mr Tong, who is also second minister for home affairs, reiterated the government's view that it must look at "the value system of society" and "what the majority consensus of society would be" on such issues.
After a parliamentary vote in 2022, Singapore repealed Section 377A of the Penal Code criminalising sex between men and also amended the Constitution to protect the heterosexual definition of marriage.
"When we abolished 377A, we also said in conjunction with that that we will enshrine what we believe is the core tenet of social policy in Singapore," said Mr Tong.
"At this point in time, the sense is that our society respects the core value of the family system, the family union to be that of a heterosexual union, and the policies are built upon them," he said.
This does not mean that those who have different priorities or views do not have a place in Singapore, he said.
Noting that sentiments can drift over time, Mr Tong added that it has also "always been in Singapore's interest and in our style to do things in incremental stages" in a way that the values and social mores of the majority are represented.
In their remarks, Justice Faizal and Deputy Attorney-General Goh also stressed that it is for the elected government to decide on policy, not the courts or the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC).
"Our courts do not decide social policy in the abstract, but when real disputes with real consequences come before the courts, the courts must still give those answers – carefully, fairly and according to law," said Justice Faizal.
While AGC is the government's legal adviser and drafts government legislation, its role is not to dictate policy, said Mr Goh.
"What we do is to make sure that whatever policy that the government advances, it is clearly presented in the law in a consistent way that doesn't contradict existing laws," he said.
ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND "GLASS CEILING"
The panelists also spoke about access to justice, with Justice Faizal highlighting efforts like rewriting court correspondence in simpler language and allowing smaller claims to be filed and managed entirely online.
Mr Tong reiterated that Singapore's first-rate judiciary and legal system will not mean much if the most vulnerable people in Singapore do not feel they can access it.
Commenting on how AGC protects vulnerable victims, Mr Goh said its fundamental role is not just to secure convictions but to ensure that justice is done.
"Justice is sometimes done when we don't pursue the most serious charge, but the most appropriate charge, bearing in mind the available facts and evidence of the case," he said.
Towards the end, an audience member asked whether minority representation in the senior ranks of the judiciary and legal system, specifically for members of the Malay-Muslim community, is a realistic aspiration.
Justice Faizal said that when he was asked in the past about the possibility of more Malay-Muslim senior counsel in the next decade, his answer was: "I don't see why not."
He said he had been given advice that there are two ways to live.
"Either we can decide to live life by believing that there is a glass ceiling, and therefore always cap my aspirations. And no matter whether there is or is not a glass ceiling, that will happen, because you will live your life on that basis," he said.
"Or you can decide, even if there is a glass ceiling, it really doesn't matter ... because to the extent there is, I ... have enough talent and individual ability to push against the glass ceiling – not for myself, but to shatter it so that the next person can stand on my shoulders and go even further than I can."
