FIFTY people gathered outside Masjid Negara after Friday prayers today to protest against the Pakatan Harapan government, accusing it of abandoning Islamic principles.

The demonstration, organised by Majlis Tindakan dan Badan Penyelaras NGO Islam Malaysia, singled out DAP and PH’s stance on the LGBT community as reasons to oppose the new administration.

The group said Putrajaya is “too liberal” and “too plural”, and is undermining Islam’s position as the country’s official religion.

The “sins” committed include allowing the PH coalition to be “taken over by Chinese elements”, referring to DAP, and disrespecting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islamiah Bersatu president Masrizi Sat said “liberals” have started to take over Parliament, and are threatening the special position of Malays and Islam.

He cited the government’s appointment of non-Muslims as attorney-general and chief justice.

“We are at a dead end. We are seeing this anti-Islam group having the majority in Parliament.”

The protesters, who gathered at the mosque’s entrance, carried placards that read “Tolak LGBT” (Reject LGBT), “Ini maruah kami” (This is our honour) and “Daulatkan Islam” (Uphold Islam).

The Chinese-majority DAP has long been a target of PH’s critics.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is the party’s secretary-general, came under fire for issuing Chinese-language statements to the Chinese media. Despite these statements being a translation of those issued in Bahasa Malaysia and English, he was criticised by some quarters for allegedly undermining the national language.

PH has also been panned over its election promise to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate, which is a Chinese secondary school qualification.

Wan Asshima Kamaruddin, from the AlifBaTa SriKandi Masyhur group, urged for a crackdown on cross-dressing transgender people.

She said they dressed provocatively, leading to an increase in rape cases involving “real” women.

“When they dress as women, men think they are women and get aroused. When men discover that they are not women, they then go and rape women.

“We never hear of ‘mak nyah’ (transgender people) getting raped. Those who get raped are ‘real’ women.”

However, human rights groups have said transgender people in Malaysia are routinely harassed – including sexually – and discriminated against by law enforcement authorities when they lodge complaints of being threatened and subjected to violence.

Rights groups have also reported rape cases involving transgender people in prison by wardens or other inmates. – July 27, 2018.