{"id":11057,"date":"2011-11-05T03:11:01","date_gmt":"2011-11-05T03:11:01","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2011-11-05T03:11:01","modified_gmt":"2011-11-05T03:11:01","slug":"Malaysian-Authorities-Block-a-Festival-Celebrating-Gays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=11057","title":{"rendered":"Malaysian Authorities Block a Festival Celebrating Gays"},"content":{"rendered":"

Malaysian authorities on Thursday ordered gay rights activists to scrap an annual festival that had drawn fire from conservative politicians and religious leaders, with officials saying the event \u201cthreatens national security.\u201d The festival, which began in 2008 and tries to promote greater tolerance for gay Malaysians, was set to begin in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, in a few days. The national news agency, Bernama, reported that the festival had drawn a stream of complaints, including one from Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who said it ran counter to traditions in Malaysia, a nation with a Muslim majority.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

\u201cPolice received many protests from nongovernmental organizations, including Islamic and non-Islamic organizations who feared that the program could create disharmony, enmity and disturb public order,\u201d the deputy inspector general of police, Khalid Abu Bakar, told reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, according a translation by Bernama. He said that the organizers, a group known as Sexuality Merdeka, would face punishment if the festival were to go forward. \u201cIf they are adamant, we will not hesitate to detain them,\u201d he said. He said the police were not against the rights of Malaysians to express themselves. \u201cBut when this crops up and threatens national security,\u201d he said, \u201cwe have to take action.\u201d <\/p>\n

While the festival had flown under the radar of the authorities in previous years, the organizers drew broad attention late last year with a campaign encouraging gay Malaysians to proclaim their sexuality in videos posted online. More than a dozen people submitted videos for the campaign, which was modeled on the American \u201cIt Gets Better\u201d video project against the bullying of gay men and lesbians, but only five of the videos were posted after a fierce backlash that included death threats. The campaign and the festival were part of an effort by the group and other gay rights advocates to push the boundaries of what is acceptable in Malaysia\u2019s conservative society. Sodomy remains a crime in the country, punishable by as much as 20 years in prison, though it is rarely prosecuted. Pang Khee Teik, one of the group\u2019s co-founders, wrote in a blog post on Thursday that the authorities could ban the festival, but they would not stop his advocacy on behalf of gay Malaysians. \u201cIf anything, this ban proves why we need to keep fighting for our rights,\u201d he wrote.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

SOURCE<\/a>
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