LONDON: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia has its own culture, and it cannot accept anything that contradicts its culture, traditions, and religions.
According to him, there had been a growing trend by Western countries to force other nations to accept what they practise, for example, pertaining to the ideology of communism, capitalism, socialism and the lifestyle of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.
The Prime Minister said the LGBT lifestyle was a shift in the Westerners’ moral values and they wanted to force that lifestyle on other countries.
“In addition, Westerners always talk about freedom. That means we are free to reject practices that are unsuitable for us,” he told a media conference here on Monday before concluding his three-day working visit to the United Kingdom.
Dr Mahathir said this when asked whether the issues of LGBT brought up during the question-and-answer session after his speech at the Cambridge Union on Sunday showed that there was still pressure for Malaysia to accept the LGBT lifestyle.
“That’s how they exert their pressure and they have managed to influence some Malaysians, including some Muslims and Malays who think that one of the manifestations of freedom is the right to accept what is practised in the West.
“For example, in the West, (the importance of) marriage institution is being disregarded and family institution is no longer accepted. Couples can live together unmarried.
“That’s their way, we don’t have to agree to it. We have our own values that we hold on to and must be proud of (the value of our lives). Don’t simply follow the West,” he said.
During his three-day working visit to the UK, Dr Mahathir was accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman. -- BERNAMA