Malaysia's anti-gay camp illegal, minister says

2011-04-21 07:38:02 GMT+7 (ICT)

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (BNO NEWS) -- Malaysia's anti-gay boot camp set up to correct the effeminate behavior of Muslim schoolboys is illegal and should be abolished, the country's women's minister said Wednesday.

The BBC reported that Malaysia's women's minister, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, said the camp violates the Child Act, which protects children without prejudice. She added that the act of singling out children based on perceived feminine mannerisms is harmful to their mental health.

This week, sixty-six schoolboys in the conservative state of Terengganu began counseling for allegedly displaying "feminine mannerisms". They are undergoing four days of religious and physical education.

State officials say that, if left unchecked, the students - aged between 13 and 17 - could end up gay or transsexual. Terengganu state's education director, Razali Daud, who said the students were not compelled to join the camp, stated that although homosexuals and transvestites exist in Malaysia, the authorities want to limit their number.

Gay rights groups have criticized the measure, saying it promotes homophobia in the Muslim-majority country where gay sex is still illegal. Homosexuals say they face discrimination from government policies such as a law that makes sodomy punishable by 20 years in prison.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-21

Malaysia is such a beacon of freedom isn't it.

Malaysia is such a beacon of freedom isn't it.

I can't see why anyone in the South of Thailand would want to be ruled by Malaysia, unless of course they are either misogynistic or homophobic bigots.

Kelantan and Terengganu were always decades behind the rest of Malaysia, anyway. Where do you think all the katoeys in KL come from?

Malaysia is such a beacon of freedom isn't it.

I can't see why anyone in the South of Thailand would want to be ruled by Malaysia, unless of course they are either misogynistic or homophobic bigots.

Because they are muslims?

Kelantan and Terengganu were always decades behind the rest of Malaysia, anyway. Where do you think all the katoeys in KL come from?

You really live in a cultural closet, don't you?

Malaysia does have a very active G/L/B/T community within it's culture, even though it's a Muslim country, the government and religious majorities do look down on it. Like Thailand in some ways. Thai parents do look down on when their child is G/L/B/T, and somewhat disappointed. In the end, both cultures know about it, but don't bring it up in conversations or tell others to mind their own business. As long as their child is happy.

Kelantan and Terengganu were always decades behind the rest of Malaysia, anyway. Where do you think all the katoeys in KL come from?

You really live in a cultural closet, don't you?

Malaysia does have a very active G/L/B/T community within it's culture, even though it's a Muslim country, the government and religious majorities do look down on it. Like Thailand in some ways. Thai parents do look down on when their child is G/L/B/T, and somewhat disappointed. In the end, both cultures know about it, but don't bring it up in conversations or tell others to mind their own business. As long as their child is happy.

No, frankly, I don't live in a cultural closet. I've lived in Malaysia, and had some contact with the gay scene. However, the authorities in the north-east, reflecting in some ways the culture of the people they represent, tend to be repressive (though it's also usually true that they try not to notice that the gay scene is there).