Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Dr Zulkifli Hasan, has urged the public to read his full written parliamentary reply on issues related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) lifestyles.
His statement comes following criticism on social media over reports claiming that he had linked work-related stress to LGBT lifestyles.
Dr Zulkifli called on the public to practise “tabayyun”, or verification, by seeking accurate information from reliable and authentic sources before forming conclusions.
“I invite everyone, including Members of Parliament and the public, to sincerely refer to and examine the complete written response submitted in Parliament.
“The Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) does not accept the normalisation of LGBT practices as they are inconsistent with religious teachings, moral values and societal norms,” he said in a statement yesterday.
On Tuesday, Dr Zulkifli cited factors such as work-related stress, social influences and a lack of religious adherence as contributing elements to LGBT lifestyles.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN–Rantau Panjang), who had asked the Prime Minister to provide the latest data and statistics on LGBT trends in Malaysia.
Siti Zailah had requested a detailed breakdown of percentages, age groups and ethnic composition based on national studies or agency reports, as well as the main factors contributing to the reported increase in cases.
