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Controversy over bank's support of anti-gay group
BY Team Trevvy
DBS explains to Trevvy its decision to contribute to anti-gay group, Focus on the Family's children project.

28/11/2008

Many in the community have expressed outrage over DBS bank's decision to contribute a sum of their credit cardholders' spending to support a children and learning project by anti-gay group, Focus on the Family (FOTF).

In an advertisment by DBS on The Straits Times, the bank indicated that it will contribute up to S$15,000 towards FOTF when credit cardholders spend a minimum of $300 on weekends at selected malls from 14 November to 21 December.

FOTF is a local offshoot of the US organization of the same name, known for its strong anti-gay stance and programmes. FOTF regards homosexuality as a sinful moral choice and psychological problem. FOTF in Singapore promoted the activities of Liberty League, which describes queer sexuality with terms like "sexual brokenness" and "addiction and abuse".

One of the first persons to highlight this to DBS was local playwright Ovidia Yu. In her correspondence with DBS, Ovidia pointed out that "FOTF is a religious organization that attacks homosexuality from their own interpretation of Christianity." She also provided DBS with FOTF's website, evidently showing "all 9 of their current events listed (from 24 Nov to 29 Nov) deal with homosexuality–eg 'Preventing Homosexuality' and 'Homosexuality, Myths & Truths'."

In response, DBS claimed that "FOTF is a non religious and non political organisation. It is a voluntary welfare organisation supported and endorsed by the National Family Council and the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports in Singapore."

When approached by Trevvy, a DBS spokesperson assured Team Trevvy that the bank is not anti-gay and released the following statement:

"In line with DBS' corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts that are geared towards supporting children and learning, several welfare organisations that support similar causes were shortlisted. Focus on the Family (FOTF) is a voluntary welfare organisation (VWO) endorsed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. Further, the funds DBS contributes will be directed specifically towards building a new learning centre, scheduled to open next March, for children with various learning disabilities. As this ties in with the Bank's CSR efforts to empower children through learning, we decided to pick FOTF as our beneficiary for credit card spend this Christmas. It is not the intention of the Bank to discriminate against any group through the choice of FOTF as our beneficiary."

Many were unconvinced by the bank's response.

Media analyst Ted Young said, "It is unclear if DBS is aware of FOTF's promotion and involvement of anti-gay activity, and may only be reacting now that it is has been brought to their attention. And I would imagine they wouldn't be able to back out even if they wanted to. Having said that, they should have done a more thorough check. For gay credit card users of DBS would be unwittingly contributing to this anti-gay organization had this not been made known to them."

One of the gay activists who led the repeal377a petition George Hwang told Trevvy, "This explanation given by DBS is unacceptable. By choosing Focus on the Family, DBS has acted irresponsibly. Focus on the Family is founded by James Dobson, an evangelical pastor considered by many to harbour anti-gay views. If DBS' purpose is to contribute towards programmes for children in Singapore, there is the "Children's Charity Association", APSN, MINDS etc. International banks and MNCs with "Diversity and Inclusion" departments will agree with me. I am going to close my account with DBS. I urge everyone to do the same until DBS learns to act like a responsible corporate citizen, worthy of its name."

DBS is Singapore's largest consumer bank and the fourth in Hong Kong, its credit card customers number over 2 million across the region.

“FOTF is a local offshoot of the US organization of the same name, known for its strong anti-gay stance and programmes. FOTF regards homosexuality as a sinful moral choice and psychological problem. DBS will contribute up to S$15,000 towards FOTF when credit cardholders spend a minimum of $300 on weekends at selected malls from 14 November to 21 December. ”

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			POSTED ON 05/12/2008 23:29 BY dage Unfortunately on the grand scale of things, I am not sure if the proposed boycott approach by way of closing accounts, or not using their cards would necessarily be a statistically significant signal to them. Assuming if we do successful round up a full-scale boycott by all the gays in Singapore against DBS, the potential dip in any form of the bank's performance in credit cards revenues or for that matter reduction in deposit base or such other skirmish in related banking products will probably not be substantive enough for DBS to conclude the dip arise from the gay community. Chances are, effects and the widespread weakend economic sentiment alone would account for a way larger effects to what we are already seeing in the bank's decline in revenues and financial performance. I think the key is to effect a noticeable stand to DBS to which I believe a number of the considered response has well been received by the bank now. I appreciate the efforts by the various active gays in community and I do think DBS might have to some extent recognise there is a commercial disinterest for them to continue such wayward decisions. Having said this, and notwithstanding what DBS might have appeared to tone down on their campaign, it leaves to be seen how is DBS taking such feedbacks from the gay community, and more important what is their corporate stance towards the gay community and customers. I am inclined to think what they are doing now is largely a kneejerk reaction and perhaps a immediate response to what appears to be a lousily thought out PR plan they have set out in the first place. This does not mean they will no longer support anti-gay group nor reflect they are gay friendly. Their response now is purely reactive. What is more important is to observe the bank's approach and their business conduct with the gay community and if their current stance is consistent and non-discrimatory to gays in the longer term. Until such time, we will be able to form a substantive view of what's DBS underlying stance to our community.

			POSTED ON 05/12/2008 02:01 BY zac.oasis I closed the account long ago, when the cash deposit machine is always out of order, I transferred all my money to the one that open 7 days a week, better service and more convenient.

			POSTED ON 03/12/2008 17:12 BY enter damn i just put some money in a fixed d.

			POSTED ON 02/12/2008 05:31 BY malinsi By not using their cards and removing deposits. We in a way limits the bank's revenue generation. They need the deposit to have margin to give loans and credit cards transaction to collect transaction fees plus interest if there are late payers. If their market share for credit cards drop, they would collect less from adv fees from merchants. Would be interesting to see if we could make a different.

			POSTED ON 01/12/2008 21:23 BY netspider We should just simply vote with our money. The easiest and most direct way to signal to commercial bodies, of which DBS is definitely one with their draconian approach to axe staff. Is DBS so charitable? If so, they could just donate the $15000 straight away without tying to some marketing gimmick of making consumers use their cards. Imho, I find it tough to believe that they are so ignorant when adopting a charity. Here, we are not talking about dropping 10 cents into a fund raising tin can. If we want to help the unfortunate children, there are plenty of other charities that focus on kids too. FOTF is definitely not the only source, nor the traditional source.

			POSTED ON 01/12/2008 21:03 BY wonderwoman Anyone know who is the idiot that come up with the idea of donating money to FOTF for the promotion? That shameless bitch with smelly CB should fire that idiot that come up with the stupid idea for the promotion since it cause so much outrage and protest.

			POSTED ON 01/12/2008 20:17 BY Arctophile83 Well I think DBS has obviously made a mistake it cannot rectify - and one that is strangely ironic, seeing as to how gay men probably spend more than half of singapore combined at Christmastime. The solution though, is not to get militant about it; Christians are going to back DBS's choice of Focus on the Family, and if a successful boycotting does indeed cause a withdrawal from that charity then there would be outright war between the Jesus-folk and the gays. We have to bear in mind that DBS's choice appears to be an ignorant one and that in supporting FotF, they are intending to help disabled children, and by instigating a boycott we would look like a bunch of selfish pricks whose only goal is to defend our rights, even if that means wresting financial aid to poor kids. I think a more tactful approach in the spirit of Christmas might be better - A petition to DBS, as Andy_gwm says, to a charity that supports gay causes too, like AFA. At last DBS is aware of its skirmish this time round and would hopefully not repeat it next year. If it does, well, then time to get more militant, as DBS's motives will be far more transparent by then.

			POSTED ON 01/12/2008 13:44 BY boyishcute Dear all, you may click on the following DBS link to post your complaint and protest directly to DBS: https://www.dbs.com/contact/feedback/

			POSTED ON 01/12/2008 11:13 BY nEomIs ladies... i reallie suggest we dont do things lyk queuing up just to reopen and close accounts and the like... please, we're not doing anything to the upper management that way. We'll just be terrorizing the front desk ppl and mid management who had absolutely NOTHING to do with this decision. We have to go higher, switching banks and all that wont do much, macro econs tells us that. It also tells us that we shldnt be doing dat now! the whole money multiplier thingi... we're in a recession girls... the best way is go direct to the upper management. make this a PR mess. make them acknowledge their mistake and APOLOGISE. make them seriously consider suporting a pro-rights grp. that would prob help tweak the balance a bit... that's just my thoughts....

			POSTED ON 01/12/2008 08:52 BY matahari_gar I get paid through this so called called shameless bitch bank. I then transfer all the money into my other bank account. I keep only a minimal in this awful bank. Period. !!!! We need to stand united to tell them that we are not a bunch of idiots ad to take us more seriously. If not , others will also follow and we will be defeated !!!!! WE will have no voice !!!!!!

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