KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) has urged the government to strictly address the spread of the lesbian, gay and bisexual transgender (LGBT) ideology and form a taskforce to combat it.
PPIM Chief activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said there should be a concerted effort from various agencies including the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) as well as from other religions to form a task force to combat the ideology.
He added that mobilising a task force was necessary to avoid allowing the movement from "being a poison in the community".
This comes in the wake of raids by the Home Ministry and the confiscation of rainbow-coloured watches from the Pride collection of popular watchmaker brand, Swatch.
The move however had also sparked discussions as to how products linked to the LGBT movement could enter the country to begin with.
Nadzim added that the government should also have a clearer definition on what symbols or types of products that would appear to be supportive of the ideology and movement.
"We don't want LGBT to be a culture in Malaysia. The government should clearly define their policies so that relevant agencies can do their jobs properly to combat LGBT.
"If they clearly define (in the legislation) what appears to be in support of the movement and what's not, then it will be easier for the public to report to the authorities as well.
"This should also be channelled to schools so that school-children would be informed," he told the New Straits Times.
PPIM secretary-general Datuk Dr Maamor Osman said the government through the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should express their commitment and be firm in combating the LGBT movement.
He said the country should uphold the Islamic principles as Islam was the official religion of Malaysia according to the Federal Constitution.
"Islam is the official religion of the country. The country has to protect the religion's sensitivity which means that the government should strictly express that LGBT is prohibited.
"I hope the Prime Minister who is also a Muslim would prove that he truly understands the religion and upholds it as what's written in the Quran and brought by Prophet Muhammad," he said.
On May 13 and 14, the Home Ministry seized a total of 164 watches from nine different variations. Worth more than RM64,000, the seizure was at 11 Swatch outlets using the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) 1984.
Five other shops at malls in Alor Setar, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Baru, Johor Baru and Kuching were let off with warnings.
The raid reportedly came after netizens linked the collection to British band Coldplay's support for the LGBT community.