Guest fountainhall Posted November 9, 2011 Posted November 9, 2011 Our neighbour Malaysia has often had problems with gays and gay rights. Despite being essentially a secular and multi-cultural Federation, Islam is the religion of the majority and this is enshrined - to a certain extent - within its constitution. Article 3 states that Islam is the religion of the Federation, and that only Islam can be preached to Muslims. On the other hand, Article 11 guarantees freedom of religion for all. As a result, Malaysia has developed both a general civil code, which is applied universally, and Islamic law, which is applied only to Muslims in personal and family matters. On my quite numerous visits to Kuala Lumpur and Penang, I have always found a fairly liberal attitude towards gays. Yet from time to time, certain Islamic politicians and clerics decide to call for greater sanctions against the LGBT community. Today's The Star newspaper reports on the latest outrageous suggestion. The Chief Minister of Malacca wants to amend its state Islamic laws to give it the right to prosecute gays and lesbians. Effectively, he wants to apply the same legal sanctions against gays as can be used against "deviant Muslim sects". Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said homosexuals and lesbians could be tried at the Syariah (Sharia) Court once the enactment was gazetted as Syariah law. “We will revise the current enactment to specifically deal with homosexuals and lesbians in the state, including groups that promote such uncanny sex,” he said here yesterday. Mohd Ali, who is also Malacca Islamic Religious Department chairman, said the enactment had to be revised as there was no specific law at present to prosecute such groups. “We will suggest the enactment to also cover bisexuals and transsexuals,” he said, adding that action could also be taken against any non-governmental organisation promoting and supporting such sexual practices. “We don't want such unsavoury culture creeping in and damaging the moral fabric of our society,” Mohd Ali said. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F11%2F9%2Fnation%2F9863789&sec=nation The issue has probably arisen now because today was to have marked the opening of Seksualiti Merdeka, the fourth annual festival that includes a series of forums, talks, workshops, book launches, stage performances, and art exhibition focusing on “the human rights of people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.” This year, for the first time, the event has been banned on the grounds that it constitutes a “threat to public order” under section 298A of the Penal Code. Yet, as Human Rights Watch has pointed out in an open Letter to the Prime Minister, no evidence whatsoever was presented to justify the decision. In the letter, Human Rights Watch also uses the PM's own words - These actions contradict your own proclaimed vision for Malaysia. You stated in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on October 27 that Malaysia is a “progressive, liberal nation” and “a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society that has a long and proud history of social harmony and welcoming outsiders.” Yet your government’s actions against Seksualiti Merdeka treat members of Malaysia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) community as outsiders without the same rights as other Malaysians." http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/reverse-ban-on-seksualiti-merdeka-phil-robertson/ Our colleague xiandarkthorne may have views on this. Whilst the proposed changes in the law will technically only affect Muslims, I suggest it does highlight the need for all gays to be careful, at least when visiting certain states within the Malaysian Federation. Quote
