Bar Council HQ vandalised with red paint

Calling the act irresponsible and cowardly, council chief says incident is connected to its support for the Sekualiti Merdeka festival.

PETALING JAYA: Red paint was splashed at the front entrance of the Malaysian Bar Council headquarters in KL around 1am this morning and the council is convinced that it is related to its support for the Sexualiti Merdeka festival.

Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee said: “It’s an irresponsible and cowardly act. We have information it is connected to the Seksualiti Merdeka festival, as pamphlets criticising the festival were found at the scene.

“Such reactions to the event is deplorable and must be condemned. Those who hold a different viewpoint to the festival should be civil and engage in discussion and dialogue”.

The council has been in support of the festival which celebrates the rights of the lesbian,gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), defending the communities’ right to freedom of expression.

An annual feature since 2008, the festival has drawn much criticism this year with right-wing group Perkasa and Opposition Islamic party PAS being two of the most vocal detractors.

They alleged that Seksualiti Merdeka promotes unnatural lifestyle. Even deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin weighed in and called the event “immoral”.

Lim praised PAS’ Kota Raja MP, Siti Mariah Mahmud, who chided the detractors in parliament yesterday and called for a more civilised approach in dealing with the issue.

Siti Mariah said she would have attended the event to gauge the sentiments of the community if the event was not banned by the police.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police yesterday announced a blanket ban on any function related to the Seksualiti Merdeka programme in the interest of public order.