A Malaysian group is calling for their government to assemble a task force to combat LGBI symbols being used in any products sold across the country.

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The Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIA – Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia) says the government needs to act to stop the spread of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender ideology. Chief Activist Datuk Madzim Johan has called on a combined taskforce to be set up across government departments.

He says a concerted effort is needed to stop gay rights from being a “poison in the community.”

The call follows the government confiscating watches from popular retailer Swatch because they had symbols on the associated with LGBT rights.  The PPIA says legislation is needed to clearly defy what is a symbol of the LGBT community.

“We don’t want LGBT to be a culture in Malaysia. The government should clearly define their policies so that relevant agencies can do their jobs properly to combat LGBT.

“If they clearly define (in the legislation) what appears to be in support of the movement and what’s not, then it will be easier for the public to report to the authorities as well.

“This should also be channeled to schools so that school-children would be informed,” he told the New Straits Times.

Alongside the ban on swatch watches there have also been calls to stop British band Coldplay from touring Malaysia due to their previous support for LGBT rights.

Gay rights group Jejaka said the decision to ban the Swatch products showed a deeply unsettling level of intolerance.

“It is more than a matter of colorful watches. It’s about respect for diversity, freedom of expression, and, most importantly, love,” the group said in a statement.

The group’s Deputy President Dhia Rezki Rohaizad said the government’s approach was disappointing.

“In a world full of colours, it is a shame that we still have to fight for the right to be ourselves. It’s time we strive for understanding, not just tolerance.  And most importantly it’s time we celebrate our differences instead of punishing them.

“As a society we have to ask ourselves: what kind of a message are we sending when a rainbow, a universal symbol of hope, becomes controversial?” Dhia Rezki Rohaizad said.

OIP Staff

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