A dating website aimed at people already in a relationship is not welcome in Singapore, a government minister said today.

Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing was speaking after news reports said the website, Ashley Madison, was planning to launch in the city-state next year.

“I do not welcome such a website into Singapore,” he said in a Facebook post. “I’m against any company or website that harms marriage. Promoting infidelity undermines trust and commitment

between a husband and wife, which are core to marriage.

“Our marriage vows make it clear that marriage is a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman. This includes staying faithful to one another.”

Canada-based Ashley Madison - which promotes itself with the slogan ‘Life is short. Have an affair’ - operates in North America and Europe, and has this year expanded into Japan and Hong Kong.

News that it planned to launch in the city-state prompted opponents to start a Facebook page entitled Block Ashley Madison-Singapore, which has more than 11,000 ‘likes’.

- dpa