Malam tadi lepas saya log out dari account Hotmail saya, tajuk berita di homepage MSN membuatkan mata saya yang hampir terkatup terbuka luas. Malaysia Police Ban Gay Festival! Macam tak pecaya saja, tetapi Alhamdulillah, I felt very happy at that moment.
Bacalah berita selanjutnya...
"Deputy national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said 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," Khalid was quoted as saying by the national Bernama news agency.
He said Muslim and other groups had protested that "the programme could create disharmony, enmity and disturb public order."
A senior police official confirmed the decision to AFP.
Festival organiser Pang Khee Pik said the announcement marked a "very tragic day for Malaysia."
"We are aware that homophobic polices in Malaysia are not isolated, but (the police decision) is a symptom of a systemic breakdown in human rights in the country," he told AFP.
Pang said 1,500 people attended the event last year and organisers had expected that to double this year.
He said 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."
Pang added the festival was "likely to be cancelled and we will have to re-strategise."
The police decision came after rising pressure from Muslims, with one Islamic group threatening to protest on Friday.
Homosexuality remains a taboo subject in Muslim-majority Malaysia, where sodomy is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Last week, members of the conservative opposition Islamic party PAS called for a concert later this month by British superstar Elton John to be banned.
They said the openly gay singer promotes "hedonism" and that his sexual orientation would corrupt Muslims.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was quoted earlier Thursday by Bernama as calling the gay-rights festival "immoral."
"Any activity that does not benefit the majority of Malaysians should not be carried out. It's a waste of time, although they can say it's their own right and freedom," he said.
"That's why to me, it (the festival) is totally unsuitable and I don't know its benefits. I don't understand why they carry out such promotions. Is there any political agenda behind it?"
Past festivals have included a mix of gay-themed film screenings, concerts, discussion forums on homosexual issues, and other events.
The police ban on the festival comes after Prime Minister Najib Razak -- who is expected to call fresh polls within months -- in September announced plans to expand civil liberties and break with the country's authoritarian past."
Syabas dan tahniah kepada polis Malaysia atas usaha kalian. Ini adalah kemenangan sesuatu kebenaran ke atas sesuatu kebatilan. Walaupun begitu, kita masih perlu berusaha dengan lebih gigih dalam menyedarkan golongan seperti ini. Marilah kita lihat beberapa langkah yang boleh dipraktiskan bagi merawat Iman yang sakit disebabkan oleh penyakit 'gayness' ini.
1. Strengthening his Imaan (faith), by
encouraging him to do i'badaat (acts of worship) and avoid evil deeds.
2. Instilling the love of Allaah and
His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his heart.
3. Teaching him the meaning of love
for the sake of Allaah. Love a person for his faith and acts of obedience, not for
his appearance, image or status.
4. Should not make contact repeatedly or to visit frequently; explaining to him that if a
legitimate relationship (halal relationship such as brotherly love and kindness between friends) transgresses the limits it becomes haraam and must be
stopped.
5. When meeting, not allowing him to
look continuously, embrace or kiss.
6. Giving him academic or
da’wah-related tasks to do, such as collecting evidence on a certain issue, or
summarizing a book, or listening to tapes, or doing da’wah-related activities
such as calling people to Islam, distributing pamphlets and tapes, and other
things which will fill his time with beneficial acts of worship and permissible
activities.
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