An LGBTIQA+ youth sexual health forum that was planned for later this month in Malaysia has been cancelled after a politician drew attention to the event and organsiers were hit with death threats and waves of criticism.
The minority political group who were holding the event acknowledged that homosexuality is illegal in the country, but argued that sharing important sexual health information is also essential. News of the event’s cancelation was shared by The Bangkok Post.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has previously called for tolerance and acceptance of LGBTIQA+ people, but as his government relies on Islamic parties to maintain power a harder line is being taken.
‘Pride Care: Queer Stories & Sexual Health Awareness’ was organised by the youth wing of a small opposition party, was to take place in June.
After the event was promoted on social media people took exception to the planned event, many tagging the police in the comments below the posts.
On Wednesday the government’s religious affairs minister Mohamad Na’im Mokhtar said the gathering was a celebration of a “deviant culture”.
Not long after organisers were fending off death threats and torrents of online abuse, leading to the event being cancelled out of concern for the safety of those who may have wanted to attend.
The youth wing of Pemuda Sosialis, the political party behind the event, later posted a statement to social media arguing that it was important to have spaces for discussions about issues around sexuality, and it was in the public interest to have initiatives that curbed the spread of sexually transmitted infenctions.
