KUALA LUMPUR: The government remains strongly against the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) lifestyle, which will never be allowed in the country.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the government does not recognise the lifestyle as lawful, Bernama reported.
Mujahid was responding to reports that a rally held in conjunction with International Women’s Day along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman here yesterday was infiltrated by supporters of the LGBT community.
“I am shocked by the actions of a handful of people (on Saturday) who abused the democratic space to defend practices that are against Islamic teachings.
“(We cannot) recognise something that is against the law. In fact, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has also reaffirmed the government’s stand on this issue,” he said in a statement here, last night.
The rally on Saturday, which was held to call for greater women’s rights, was joined by several non-governmental organisations, including the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Sisters in Islam (SIS) and members of the LGBT community.
Among other issues, rally-goers demanded gender equality and an end to violence based on gender and sexual orientation.
Mujahid said that protest organisers had not obtained permission from the police; and that he leaves it to the Home Ministry to take firm action against them.
Meanwhile, Dang Wangi district police chief Assistant Commissioner Shaharuddin Abdullah said they plan to call up organisers of the demonstration to assist in an investigation under Section 9 of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.
He added that a notice on the rally was submitted to the police in less than the 10 days required, which precluded the demonstration from obtaining a police permit.