A planned forum on L.G.B.T.Q.-related themes in Malaysia was indefinitely postponed after online attacks by the public and harsh criticism by a government official. It’s the latest instance of how the government of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has taken a harder line in an effort to shore up support among the country’s Muslim majority.
Malaysia’s Parliament now includes the conservative Islamist party, Parti Islam SeMalaysia, which is the largest party in the lower house. Its growing influence has increased pressure on the government to adopt more conservative positions, with the party accusing Mr. Anwar’s administration of failing to safeguard Islamic values.
In the past, Mr. Anwar has expressed a degree of tolerance toward the L.G.B.T.Q. community.
“Muslims and non-Muslims alike, there is a consensus — they do not accept this,” he said in a 2023 interview with CNN, referring to public displays of affection by gay people. “But do we then go and harass them? That is a different subject. I do not approve of any attempt to harass.”
The workshop, titled “Pride Care: Queer Stories & Sexual Health Awareness” and organized by the youth wing of a small opposition party, was to take place next month. Efforts to publicize the event on social media quickly went viral, prompting hateful comments and death threats by the public. Many posts tagged the Royal Malaysian Police, urging them to investigate the event.
On Wednesday, Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, the government’s religious affairs minister, described the planned gathering as a promotion of “deviant culture.”
By Friday, Pemuda Sosialis, the youth wing of the opposition party that had organized the event, had removed all the social media posts connected to it. On Saturday, the group blamed the government for the surge in online harassment and said it was postponing the forum indefinitely for “the safety and well-being of participants.”
Although homosexuality is illegal in Malaysia, the organizer defended the forum, arguing that it is in the public’s interest to curb the spread of sexually transmitted infections within the community.
The idea behind the event was to engage in discussions on the reality of living as a gay, bisexual or transgender person in Malaysia.
“Unfiltered and unapologetic, we want to show that you are seen. Despite everything, you are not alone in this journey. Your existence and experiences are valid. Your body deserves respect and care,” said a Facebook post from Pemuda Sosialis that was later taken down.
It is not the first time gay-themed events have run into trouble in Malaysia. Authorities have also scrutinized performers’ sexual orientations and their views on gay rights when deciding whether to grant them permission to appear in the country.
In 2018, Denise Ho, a gay Hong Kong pop star who is outspoken on the issue of gay rights, was denied a permit to perform in Malaysia. In 2023, Malaysia canceled a music festival after the frontman of a British band, The 1975, kissed a male bandmate onstage.
That same year, the Home Ministry seized hundreds of rainbow-themed watches made by the Swiss watchmaker Swatch on the grounds that they promoted L.G.B.T.Q. values. Swatch later sued the government and won, with the court ruling that the seizure was unlawful without a warrant.
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