Malaysian leader bars gay diplomat

Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Thursday that if a homosexual British Cabinet minister visited Malaysia with his boyfriend, both would be expelled.

Mahathir, Asia’s longest-serving leader, made the remarks in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp., explaining that he had planned to step down from power a few years ago but could not after he found out that his deputy was homosexual.

Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim country in Southeast Asia, would not accept a gay leader, Mahathir said.

"It’s a difference of values," Mahathir said. "British people accept homosexual ministers, but if they ever come here, bringing their boyfriend along, we’ll throw them out."

Prime Minister Tony Blair appointed Britain’s first openly gay Cabinet minister after the Labor Party took power in 1997, making Chris Smith his culture secretary. Blair also backed Agriculture Secretary Nick Brown, who said he was gay when his ex-lover threatened to sell his story to a tabloid newspaper.

In 1998, Mahathir fired his popular heir-apparent, Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after he said he learned that Anwar engaged in homosexuality.

At the time, Malaysia was mired in the Asian economic crisis and the two men had different views over how to resolve it. Anwar was also widely thought to be attempting to try to maneuver Mahathir out of power.

The sacking brought tens of thousands of protesters into the streets demanding political reform, but the movement ran out of steam. Mahathir’s coalition won elections in 1999, and he celebrated 20 years in power in June.

Anwar was convicted of corruption and sodomy and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He claims he was framed to prevent him from challenging Mahathir for power. The government denies it. Anwar’s wife, Azizah Ismail, heads the opposition National Justice Party.

"In some countries, things are more acceptable, but in this country, a homosexual is not acceptable as prime minister," Mahathir said.

Peter Tatchell, a British gay rights activist, told the BBC that Malaysia’s laws against homosexuality were part of a wider abuse of human rights and said that Mahathir appeared to be "attempting to dictate to our government who it should send as representatives."

Mahathir appeared to be speaking hypothetically, and there was no indication that either Smith or Brown was planning a visit to Malaysia.

Sodomy in Malaysia is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a flogging. However, the laws have seldom been enforced and when they are, punishment has customarily been a short jail term or a fine.

When sentencing Anwar to nine years in prison for sodomy last year, High Court Judge Ariffin Jaka said that the sentence reflected the "utmost condemnation" of homosexual acts by Malaysian society.

Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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