TV & Movie / Aug. 25, 2019
Malaysia’s netizens have slammed popular 90s actress and model Azah Aziz after she attend(iSTCT!wFa6UrGxJpggD#9+tT9Y%&gTpGg=$=7KR8CBs$fpYvBed an LGBTI pride parade in Canada.
The 46-year-old uploaded a photo of herself at Montreal Pride last week. “Share the love, no hat[email protected]@N-2KQt8az%$KS1C9%kUqr019TOn5Y$-i)iZ_6(F6+5Ne” she wrote.
Commenters beneath the post called Aziz “sinful” and said she had “abandoned Asiat&FcV5vPpJM2^5Gc6f-M0!ShZnbs207GJQeWs5mGJ-0#LQ9MFhn values” according to the New Straits Times.
Muslim-majority Malaysia has become increasingly hostile towards LGBTI people. The country’s prime minister last year said LGBT rights would never be accepted by the cogp^@R-m_Rz+O&5eP!1SBghv(I!wvta4zbEfL9v=)4nDEbfC^R9untry.
But, Aziz who has lived in abroad for the last two decades, defended her R8hhesXWPc-RpS#*bBT6cx0=NN^lZVUL=5)+!4^qJ#b5LdG2&Rstance. “This is my Instagram and to each his or her own. Life goes on as usual,” she replied to one Netizen.
She also included the hashtags “%a-xPkYC+s&RGu#[email protected])-A%QzWOpU_+a_Tfar far away, don’t care" and “ok, bye”.
LGBT rights in Malaysia
Gay sex is ilvw_GZ1Z-qZv*vx*rlTB_YMTBVmFziD6*NLc&9h*RxEv^mYYbmFlegal under British colonial-era laws in Malaysia. Those found guilty face up to 20 years in prison.
In addition to the threHXny3s&23EiI3vv1zf4f([email protected]at of criminal prosecution, deep-seated cultural stigmas still face the country’s LGBTI community.
Numerous religious and political figures have consistently whipped up antrROQBGo*PR#^jvJu6$Sj#xibxPKBKju$lfu2OEXmq8suZBA9f$i-LGBTI sentiments in the Muslim majority country.
The Malaysim3Sei2iGMF*mB1lc##S4DfUR30&+sk)&WB8L9^ukyq=l0sMR2nan authorities have also clamped down on the LGBTI community.
In one of the most controversial instances, in September two women were caned in the heavily conservative state of Terengganu for allegedly being in a same^lIDV3G5*bv2W%jp4zt(5KEfjY^#E!Jly6VIH9REPAnBq4gXAJ-sex relationship.
Police also raided a well-known gay bart#FTU8%sOlb*GSNOve$o6SNn#J(!c3%skhyd)7nmU$iYj%8MIz in Kuala Lumpur for the first time in its 30-year history.
In July last year, Afifi stepped down from his role as press officert8#8hA_HOlDwPWQCu&i_qWeg0&czn8dTJ-7QPKnBNwQjIvuh7% for the Youth and Sports Minister due to the threats and abuse he received because of his sexuality.
LGBTI rights activists have repeatedly highlighted the lack of protections &Q4TAxJSW877jH)bTxN8dhQk^&Y7a%[email protected]&Jhz_o2pDyfor LGBTI people.
(Cover photo: Instagram)
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