Umno's cunning last-ditch bid to halt the reform wave - Homophobia!

The sudden interest in the “Seksualiti Merdeka” festival by the police and the Malaysia politicians is some what baffling when one considers that the festival has been in existence since 2008 and has gone unnoticed till the current 2011 edition.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin called it a 'waste of time', insisting there were already human rights in the country and that Malaysia was a signatory to the United Nations declaration of such, but the event was against Islam and 'songsang' or immoral.

But just hours afters after his comments, the police banned the 5-day event on the basis that it was threat to public order.

The name of the game

Now, don't be surprised. This is the name of the game in Malaysian politics. Say one thing and do another. The sudden rush by UMNO, especially through its newspaper Utusan, and ultra-Malay rights NGO Perkasa adds a further twist to how morality is consistently used as a pawn in the bigger political game, regardless of the impact it has on the lives involved.

Traditionally, it would be the Islamist PAS who would jump at anything perceived as detrimental, especially one that may affect Muslim groups. So when PAS jumped to condemn both the Elton John concert and the “Sexualiti Merdeka” festival, it was considered 'normal'. PAS has objected to so many foreign artistes for all sorts of silly reasons - from Beyonce for her sexy costumes and what-not to Sir Elton John because he is gay - it has become a mild irritant but nothing more.

Although a political party, PAS has always taken a religious stance towards any thing in Malaysia. One would be surprised if PAS did not say anything. Yet once it forgets that it is a political party first and foremost that by necessity has to cater to all races and groups, and not the arbiter of Islam in the country dishing out rules on what it believes to be right and wrong, that is when Malaysians including the Malays should dump PAS into the bins of history. Be another Al-Arqam then, not a party poised to inherit the governance and management of the country.

Lynch-mob atmosphere, sincerity nowhere in sight

Even so, it is the reaction of UMNO and Perkasa that really smells of malice and bad intention. The way they played up the issue and egged on PAS, especially its easily-led Youth chief Nasrudin Tantawi, had the Muslim party tripping all over to assure Mulsims in the country that no one could ever out-Islamize PAS!

In the end, the frenzy created by all three groups, including PAS, only underscored how dangerous it can be to live in Malaysia. The feeling that they created whether intentionally or not, and officially bolstered by the DPM and the police, was that of a lynch mob. Worst of all was that they would be forgiven by Muhyiddin's so-called government as long as what they did was 'righteous' in their eyes of Islam.

No doubt the next general election is coming soon and the Malay vote is crucial, but so too is credibility. UMNO and Perkasa have none. PAS must tread very carefully. Do not gamble away the hard-won trust of the other races and faiths by stupid, immature and over-emotional politicking. Even the Malays will smell a rat and run off. Believe us when we say, Malaysians are not that forgiving. Good examples are MCA, Gerakan, MIC and UMNO too.

The Seksualiti Merdeka and the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English are real warnings for both sides of the political divide. Be sincere. Don't take voters for a ride just to retain Putrajaya or get to Putrajaya. Just like PAS, PKR and DAP have much more lose than their BN counterparts who are at the end of their shelf-life. Don't gamble away the people's trust by opting for the easy way out.

Using homophobia to halt the reform movement

But back to Seksualiti Merdeka, a homosexuals and transgender event where Perkasa - crude as ever - went a step further by demanding that Bersih chairman, Ambiga Sreenevasan, be punished by the police for creating chaos amongst Malaysians and especially the Malays.

Perkasa conveniently failed to ask that similar action be taken against all the NGOs supporting the festival and this would include groups like Sisters of Islam. So strange is it not? Perhaps, this explains the dark motives behind the sudden interest Perkasa and UMNO have in the event after 4 long years of not noticing its existence.

Face it, Perkasa and UMNO couldn't care less about gays or transgenders. Their main aim is to associate the reform wave overtaking the country with homosexuality, which they have coldly calculated as being their best weapon to stop the tide of popularity surging over to the Pakatan Rakyat.

Homosexuality is still taboo in many Asian societies, same here in Malaysia. And this is why the Machiavellians in Umno used sodomy to tar Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. And when that didn't work against the father of six, they then accused him of extra-marital sex with a Chinese prostitute - with Chinese being the next most taboo to Malays as far as Umno and the likes of Perkasa are concerned. Next of course, are the Christians.

To discuss Perkasa's take on morality is a waste of time. It has none and functions merely as a mercenary outfit to do Umno's bidding. But where is the Umno supreme council on this? Why should they remain faceless and unaccountable for all that is going on in this country?

When transgender Ashraf Hafiz Abdul Aziz died of a heart attack days after the court rejected his application for a name change to Aleesha Farhana, Women's minister Shahrizat Jalil led a horde of Umno leaders into clucking their sympathy for him and his family? Where is Shahrizat now?

What about corruption, adultery, rape

In Umno, the issue is immorality rather than morality. Is corruption better than homosexuality. Incidentally, it is also coincidental that last week former premier Mahathir Mohamad - considered to be the most corruption-tainted leader in the country - declared that Malaysia was not ready for 'full' human rights. He even cautioned against homosexuality. Was he signalling to the Umno members to support this latest plot to stop the Pakatan reform wave with unprecedented discrimination against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender or LGBT community?

Indeed, it looks like the November 9 to 13 Seksualiti Merdeka event may have been the 'perfect' springboard for another UMNO maneuver after the Bukit Kepong and the Himpun rally failed to generate the hatred they wished against their foes.

Also, apart from corruption, should not the Umno supreme council look at adultery amongst their own leaders? Is this not immoral as well? There is the hushed-up Najib Razak-Ziana Zain affair at a Port Dickson hotel, the big ruckus over Khairy Jamaluddin and actress Maya Karin, and why have the people forgotten Rahim Thamby Chik's rape of an under-aged girl?

So, not only should the Umno supreme council police their own leaders more, but so too should Perkasa. Those who throw stones should not live in glass houses.

Not a platform to evangelize LGBT but to seek a voice in society

Lastly, strip away the political manipulation, what is so wrong about Sexualiti Merdeka? Firstly, it is not a platform to evangelise nor to convert people into the world of homosexuality, lesbianism or rushing into sex change ops. You can't do that because either you are or you are not! It is as simple as that.

Seksualiti Merdeka does not appear to be anything more sinister than a platform for a minority group to voice its feelings, seek an avenue to speak up on issues that affect it and to share and communicate with each other.

They are not out to take control of Malaysia or to turn it into a communist country, which PSM and Bersih were accused of! Plain and simple, Seksualiti Merdeka is a minority group seeking a voice and a niche in society. And they are entitled to it. The right to express one’s opinion is a basic human right, and as citizens of Malaysia, this minority group should also be afforded the same right as every one else.

When compassion dies

PAS may have their view against the festival, yet what is PAS offering in return? Will PAS look at this minority group and treat them as human beings searching for meaning in their lives? Remember, the majority of homosexuals, lesbians and transgenders in this country are Malay in keeping with the country's demographics. PAS should instead offer a hand to help them rather than stir up a frenzy and create a mob-like hatred for them. Shame on PAS!

The same can be said of Perkasa and UMNO’s condemning stance. Aside from Ibrahim Ali’s copy-cat statements taken directly from PAS, what is Perkasa offering in return to this marginalized group of Malays?

It is clear, that Perkasa and UMNO are merely playing up the matter to gain political mileage amongst the conservative Malays. And like fools, PAS fell for it hook, line and sinker. Not only did human rights fly out of the window, compassion in the heart completely disappeared. And when this happens, we all need to step back and re-think our own humanity.

Remember, homo-sapiens are part of the animal kingdom. Ibrahim Ali may have forgotten his science lessons in alluding to the LGBT as 'binatang' or animals, but certainly there is a fine line between humility in being God's creations and bestiality.

Malaysia Chronicle