DEPUTY Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Fuziah Salleh said while the government views the LGBT community as haram, its members must be treated with compassion.

“When it comes to what’s haram, there is no compromise.

“However, do we alienate them, or do we approach them with compassion and wisdom?” she said at the International Malaysia Law Conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

She said although the Pakatan Harapan government wants to tackle the marginalisation and alienation of the LGBT community so that they are not shunned by society, it does not mean Putrajaya supports the community.

She said the government is trying to provide opportunities, such as jobs, to LGBT folk so that they can be contributing members of society and not be forced to turn to sex work.

“If we do not approach them with compassion and wisdom, we will drive them away.”

On Friday, Fuziah and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa met with transgender activist Nisha Ayub, following the removal of her portrait from a Penang exhibition.

“During the meeting with Nisha, she told us about her efforts to bring transgenders out of sex work,” said Fuziah.

She said she is concerned about transgenders being forced into such work, and wants to help the LGBT community as a whole.

“Some 80% of them (transgenders) are in sex work. When we alienate them, we just drive them towards such work.”

Lawyer-cum-activist Ambiga Sreenevasan, however, said the government is not doing enough.

She said more needs to be done to protect the community from hate speech.

“They are being equated to animals and all sorts of things, and we do nothing about this.”

She said hate speech is dangerous, and leads to the murder of members of the LGBT community and abuse of effeminate men.

“Hate speech leads to the deaths of transgenders, and they are doing nothing.” – August 14, 2018.