Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mohamad Mahathir says the country will never recognise gay and lesbian rights or accept same-sex marriage.

“In Malaysia there are some things we cannot accept, even though it is seen as human rights in Western countries,” the 93 year-old leader told reporters. “We cannot accept LGBT, marriage between men and men, women and women.”

The Prime Minister’s comments come as cases about discrimination against the LGBT community continue to be highlighted in the Asian nation, and people question why the country has maintained the British colonial era law banning homosexuality. Recently India removed similar laws, putting further pressure on other nations including Malaysia and Singapore.

Dr Mahathir was Malaysia’s Prime Minister from 1981 to 2003, earlier this year he was re-elected to the position, although he is now the leader of a different party. He is the oldest leader of a nation in the world.

In recent months there has been a significant crackdown on the country’s LGBTI community. A gay bar in Kulala Lumpur was raided by police, and portraits of two prominent members of the LGBT community were removed from an exhibition. In the conservative province of Terengganu two women were caned after they were arrested for having consensual sex.

OIP Staff