Singapore— Are the winds of change blowing over Singapore? Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke up about sexual orientation and Section 377A of the Penal Code, which deem homosexual acts between men illegal, at the Smart Nation Summit at Marina Bay Sands on June 26, Wednesday.

The Prime Minister fielded a question from the audience about inclusiveness, particularly for foreign workers and what he thought about Pink Dot, the country’s yearly pro LGBT+ rights demonstration, which is taking place this Saturday, June 29, at Hong Lim Park.

PM Lee says that he was not quite sure about Section 377A’s exact wording, but emphasized that everyone is welcome to work in the country. About inclusiveness, we are open. You know our rules in Singapore, he says.

The Prime Minister also adds while Singaporean society is not as open as San Francisco, or as stringent as some nations in the Middle East, it stands on middle ground.

“But it has not inhibited people from living. It has not stopped Pink Dot from having a gathering every year. And it’s the way this society is. We’re not like San Francisco, neither are we like certain countries in the Middle East. It’s something in between. It’s the way our society is.”