‘Moderate’ Anwar: Dr M and I both oppose gay marriages

(MMO) – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim denied today any differences between him and Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on issues related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

The PM-in-waiting said the only difference was that he believed Malaysia’s laws against sodomy must be amended.

“Actually we do not have a difference of opinion. As a Malaysian that has religious understanding, we do not agree with same sex marriage.

“Sanctity of marriage is between a man and a woman,” he told PKR members at Dewan Auditorium RTM here today.

The PKR president-elect said he and Dr Mahathir have been “friends for a long time”.

“We also quarrelled for a long time. No one had fought like us, we go all out,” he told the full-house crowd.

Anwar said he and Dr Mahathir had reached an understanding to save the country.

“I want the Anwar-Mahathir pact to be fruitful to save the country from the damage done by the previous administration,” he said.

Anwar said he was raising the matter as he did not want some quarters planting ideas into the heads of PKR members.

“There have been attempts (to plant the idea). But that is my stand,” he added.

During the same talk, Anwar reiterated that he was “all” Malay and Muslim.

“Some non-liberals are worried that I will become less Malay and Muslim when I become the prime minister. I want to state here I will defend Malays and other races too. The other races supported us as they believe we will be fair to them,” he said.

Anwar said he would not use Islam to “sentence” people, but also said he would defend the national language.

“But other languages will be given room to grow.”