Human rights lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan sharply condemned the Terengganu government for “sinking to a new low” with its anti-LGBTQ+ billboards, insisting that the government has no place invading people’s private lives.
“This call for hate must stop. It is none of our business how our neighbours have sex or who they have sex with.
“It is a private right that should not be intruded upon, and the state cannot and should not be interested in the sexual orientation of its rakyat,” he said in a statement.
Rajesh also censured state executive councillor for local government, housing and health Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah, who said the initiative was part of efforts to educate the public to “hate” homosexual acts, which is against Islam.
“It is Wan Sukairi’s mindset that is hateful to right-thinking members of society,” said the lawyer.
“We have a politician coming out in public with no sense of shame advocating hate crimes in Malaysia. This would easily be defined as a crime in any proper country but not ours. We are tolerating politicians advocating hate against an entire community,” he added.
‘No laws against hate crime, no thanks to govt’
Rajesh expressed deep frustration over the “undignified silence” from the federal government on this issue, condemning it as a flagrant act of hate that demands immediate attention.
“A hate crime has been perpetrated, and yet no action has been taken and can be taken. We do not, thanks to the current and previous governments, have laws against hate crimes.
“Malaysia has, to date, failed to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The ICCPR would enable action to be taken to stop all forms of discrimination, including any discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community,” he added.
The Terengganu government has defended the installation of the signboards condemning homosexual acts in several strategic locations statewide.
“We want the public to hate homosexual acts. We want them to see it as filthy, wrong, and something to be avoided,” Wan Sukairi said.
The PAS lawmaker added that the signboards were also intended to foster an urban atmosphere that promotes Islamic values. - Mkini
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