A senior officer from the Islamic Development Department said this week the country had ‘rehabilitated’ 1,450 LGBTI Malaysians
A senior officer from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) on Tuesday (31 October) said his earlier remark that there were 310,000 homosexuals in Malaysia was only ‘preliminary’.
On Monday, Jakim’s Mohd Izwan Md Yusof said the number of Malaysian ‘homosexuals’ had grown from 173,000 in 2013 to 310,000 in 2018. The number of transgender people increased from 10,000 in 1988 to 30,000 this year, he also said.
On Tuesday, however, Mohd Izwan said the number had ‘not been finalized by the Ministry of Health Malaysia’, according to the Malay Mail.
Malaysia is becoming increasingly intolerant of its LGBTI population. Malaysia’s leader Mahathir Mohamad once again said his country cannot accept LGBT rights such as same-sex marriage last week.
Importantly, Mohd Izwan earlier this week claimed 1,450 LGBTI Malaysians had successfully attended a programme to give ‘spiritual intervention’.
‘Right Path’
Jakim’s Mukhayyam programme is part of a campaign to get LGBTI people on to the ‘right path’.
‘Jakim calls on society to strengthen the family institution together and monitor the behavior of their children to educate and provide religious understanding as best as they can,’ Mohd Izwan said in his speech on Monday according to the Malay Mail.
Mohd Izwan also clarified the definition of ‘gay’ on Tuesday.
‘Gay according to the definition by Blanch Consulting, is a man that has same-sex attraction from the sexual, romantic and physical aspects’ he said, according to the Malay Mail.
‘In relation to that, someone labeled gay is not necessarily someone who has carried out same-sex relations whether it is homosexual or sodomy. This group is just considered to have same-sex attraction,’ he said in his statement
The Malay Mail reported that Branch Consulting included LGBTI definitions in a 2003 report in Tasmania.
Last year, Jakim released a video saying sexuality was like learning to ride a horse and if an LGBTI person wanted to become heterosexual they should receive training and guidance.
by Rik Glauert
Source – Gay Star News
