Jamil wants Islamic units meet on sexuality, apostasy

(The Malaysian Insider) – Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom has called for a meeting of the various state Islamic religious departments to determine how to address cases of apostasy, homosexuality, and trans-sexuality among Muslims.

“I have asked Jakim to arrange the meeting soon so that we can inform the people about the law and on its enforcement to resolve the issues,” the minister in charge of Islamic affairs was quoted in a Bernama Online report today.

The minister was referring to the Control and Restriction of the Propagation of Non-Islamic Religion to Muslims Enactment, which is applicable in all states aside from Perak, the Federal Territories, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak.

It is unclear how the enactment pertains to homosexuality, which is not an offence per se under any Malaysian law.

Jamil is outspoken on issues of sexuality, having previously been reported by Utusan Malaysia as saying that being homosexual was “unconstitutional”. He subsequently said he was misquoted and that he meant homosexuality was against the Penal Code.

The minister had also criticised Seksualiti Merdeka — the sexuality awareness event that was banned recently despite having run unhindered in previous years — for promoting “a deviation from society’s norms”.

Jamil said Malaysians had a responsibility to unite and stop any promotion of homosexual, lesbian or bisexual practices.

In today’s report, he also spoke of a need to inform the public that proselytising to Muslims was an offence in states where the aforementioned enactment was applicable.