Singapore’s annual Pink Dot gay pride rally returned to the nation’s sole government-designated free speech zone on Saturday with palpable excitement after a two-year interruption and amid indications a controversial law criminalising sex between men could soon be struck off. Thousands of Singaporeans and permanent residents turned up in Hong Lim park in the downtown area dressed in pink. The queue to enter formed at 3pm and snaked around the park because of security and Covid-19 vaccination checks. For the first time in the event’s 14-year history, a member of parliament from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) attended the rally in an official capacity. Opposition politicians have attended in the past. Henry Kwek, who represents the Kebun Baru single-seat ward, appeared for about an hour, wearing a pink polo T-shirt. Kwek toured community booths, speaking to groups advocating for LGBT causes but declining to speak to the media. Clement Tan, a spokesman for Pink Dot, described Kwek’s visit as an “encouraging sign of progress”, noting that rally organisers have invited politicians every year.