Malaysia’s Prime Minister says they cannot accept homosexuality
Mahathir Mohamad said the country has different values to Western countries
By Steve Brown
Malaysia’s Prime Minister has said the country cannot accept equal marriage or LGBT rights.
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad made the comments when he met with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia – known as Suhakam – and said the Mulsim-majority country has different values than Western countries.
He told reporters: “In Malaysia, there are somethings we cannot accept. Even though it is seen as human rights in Western countries.
“While we agree with Suhakam [on some things], we have to remind Suhakam that Malaysia has a different value system than the Westerners.”
He continued to say that a family could only be considered a family if it was a heterosexual couple and their children.
Mahathir has been accused by the LGBT+ community of backsliding their rights in the country and over the last two months, people have been persecuted for homosexuality.
Many LGBT allies and groups have condemned the Prime Minister’s comments and the Kuala Lumpur-based PELANGI campaign said: “How many more hate crimes you want to be committed under your government?
“The LGBT community… has not received any respite in Malaysia Baru,” transgender group Justice for Sisters said.
Under Malaysian law, sex between two men is “against the order of nature” and offenders can be jailed for 20 years under the Section 377 Act which was recently dismantled in India.