LGBTQ fears grow in Malaysia as Islamists shatter reform hopes
Life is hard and getting harder for LGBTQ people in Malaysia
Life is getting harder for LGBTQ Malaysians. Their human rights are not respected. They are frequent targets of discrimination and violence.
And now, in the multi-ethnic country with a dual-track legal system — both civil laws for all and Islamic laws for Muslims — conservative anti-LGBTQ Muslims are rapidly increasing their political clout.
This is an edited, abridged version of a Reuters article about the lives of LGBTQ Malaysians:
LGBTQ fears grow in Malaysia as Islamists shatter reform hopes
Queer Malaysians and rights groups say LGBTQ communities face increasing scrutiny and discrimination under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government.
Artist Carmen Rose used to perform regularly in Malaysia, until a police raid last year put an end to the veteran drag queen’s act and fueled the fears of the LGBTQ community at a time when Islamists are rapidly gaining political clout.
Since the raid, during which several party-goers were arrested, Rose has stopped doing shows, and rarely ventures out in public in costume.
LGBTQ communities face increasing scrutiny and discrimination under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government.
Analysts say Anwar is under pressure to bolster his Islamic credentials among the Muslim majority in the face of an increasingly popular ultra-conservative opposition that has steadily gained more political ground since the vote.
A Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) lawmaker recently said LGBTQ people should be classified as “mentally ill.” Another PAS leader urged the government to cancel a concert by Coldplay because the band supports queer rights.
Sodomy is a crime in Malaysia, which also has Islamic sharia laws banning same-sex acts and cross-dressing. The multi-ethnic, multi-faith country has a dual-track legal system with Islamic laws for Muslims running alongside civil laws.
While Anwar has never expressed support for the LGBTQ community, activists say they expected him to show more tolerance as he advocated for an inclusive society during his 25 years in the opposition.
Discrimination and threats
Anwar vowed this year that Malaysia would never recognize LGBTQ rights. His government has banned books for promoting the LGBT lifestyle, detained demonstrators expressing support for queer rights and confiscated Pride-themed watches made by Swiss watchmaker Swatch.
Authorities halted a music festival, after the front man of British pop band The 1975 kissed a male bandmate onstage and criticized Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ laws.
Some analysts say Anwar desires to wipe out doubts about his own sexuality which surfaced after he was jailed for nearly a decade for sodomy and some political opponents still question his Islamic values.
Activists say online harassment and death threats against queer Malaysians are rampant on social media, while undercover police often attend LGBTQ-friendly events. Many groups now ensure there are lawyers at these events in case of a raid.
Thilaga Sulathireh, founder of LGBTQ advocacy group Justice for Sisters, said the government’s rejection of queer Malaysians was tantamount to a human rights violation.
Justice for Sisters is receiving more queries from LGBTQ Malaysians seeking asylum in other countries, they said, adding that the community is also increasingly adopting self-censorship to stay under the radar.
