Wan Azizah: LGBT Lifestyle Can Exist In Malaysia If They Don't 'Glamourise' It
The Deputy Prime Minister spoke to Malay Mail after a recent brutal attack on a transgender woman in Seremban last week, 15 August.
By Tamara Jayne — 20 Aug 2018, 02:14 PM
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community (LGBT) can continue to "practise" their lifestyle as long as they do it in private, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah in an interview with Malay Mail
The minority group can coexist in Malaysia as long as they keep their "practice" behind closed doors and do not "glamourise" their private lives, she was quoted as saying in the report today, 20 August.
Dr Wan Azizah reminded that the official religion in Malaysia is Islam, which does not permit such 'lifestyles'
She pointed out that certain laws exist in Malaysia that prohibits homosexuality, such as having sexual intercourse against the order of nature under Section 377A of the Penal Code.
For years, Dr Wan Azizah's husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was jailed twice under the same law for allegedly committing sodomy.
However, The Star reported that he maintained his innocence by claiming that they were corrupt accusations to destroy his political career.
The scrutiny on the LGBT community in Malaysia escalated when a transgender woman was brutally attacked by a group of eight men in Seremban last week, 15 August
It was said that the men surrounded her and attacked her out of prejudice towards her gender identity.
She suffered several broken ribs, internal injuries, and wounds on her back and head, which required 12 stitches.
In a joint statement on 19 August, DAP leaders Hannah Yeoh and Syahredzan Johan said that physical and verbal attacks on the LGBT community must be stopped
"The transgender community has long been the target of assault and harassment throughout the country," the statement wrote.
Some of the cases have led to serious injuries and at times, even death.
"Most of the time, the perpetrators of the crimes were not brought to justice, either because of fear of repercussions on the part of the victims or because the authorities were reluctant to take further action," the statement read.