Malaysian police have vowed to prevent a yearly glbt rights festival from going ahead because it could create "disharmony". Deputy national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar says the decision to halt the three-year-old "Seksualiti Merdeka" (Sexuality Freedom) festival set for November 9-13 came after Muslims called for it to be banned. "Police will take action... to prevent any function relating to the programme," Mr Khalid was quoted as saying by the national Bernama news agency. He says Muslim and other groups had protested that "the program could create disharmony, enmity and disturb public order." Festival organiser Pang Khee Pik says the announcement marked a "very tragic day for Malaysia." The "lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community of Malaysia are tired of having our rights continually taken away from us. We are tired of being bullied, harassed, persecuted and put in jail for who we are," he says.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 4th November 2011 - 9:04pm