MUJAHID Yusof Rawa has said his meeting with transgender activist Nisha Ayub should not be construed as endorsement of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) culture.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said the meeting was held to better understand issues related to the transgender community, especially to look at the role of religious institutions in dealing with the matter.

“I would like to emphasise that the meeting with Nisha doesn’t mean I agree with all of their struggles or consent the act of LGBT,” he said in a statement today.

He also reiterated that there was no discussion on equal rights involving same-sex marriage but the meeting focused more on the need to address discrimination against the transgender community.

“And also on how to solve problems that are related to religious matters, especially in learning more about religion and prayer matters,” he said, adding that Nisha had personally contacted him to arrange for the meeting.

“Nisha said she is not an icon for the LGBT community but only an activist who fights for the rights of the transgender community which has always been marginalised as well as provides support to the community so that they can come out of the ‘sex industry’,” he said.

He added that it was important to eliminate the culture of hate and discrimination towards transgender community especially at work and in public places.

“We cannot practise favouritism in carrying out missionary work. Islam does not encourage Muslims to hurt other human beings. Their rights as Malaysians can’t be denied,” he said.

Yesterday’s meeting was initiated by Nisha following the recent furore over the minister’s order to remove photographs of Nisha and other sexual minority activists from an arts festival in Penang.

Nisha’s portrait and that of Pang Khee Teik were removed from a photography exhibition at the ongoing George Town Festival 2018 that runs until September.

Mujahid ordered the removal after receiving complaints, saying their display amounted to promoting LGBT activism, which was not in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s policies.

He has since come under fire on social media and in letters to the press, with critics saying that his actions showed that the “new Malaysia” is no different from the previous administration, which suppressed and discriminated against sexual minorities.

He then said he ordered the removal of the portraits in order to protect them from public backlash. – August 11, 2018.