Malaysia’s Education Ministry has denied endorsing guidelines on how to spot gay and lesbian children at school. Reuters Recently reported that the government is holding a series of seminars for parents and teachers, claiming how to identify if a child is gay.
So far, the Teachers Foundation of Malaysia has organized 10 seminars across the nation. Attendance at the last event on Wednesday reached 1,500 people, a spokesman for the organization told Reuters.
“It is a multi-religious and multicultural (event), after all, all religions are basically against that type of behavior,” said the official.
The federal government said in March that it is working to curb the “problem” of homosexuality, especially among Muslims who make up over 60 percent of Malaysia’s 29 million people.
According to a handout issued at a recent seminar, signs of homosexuality in boys may include preferences for tight, light colored clothes and large handbags, local media reported.
The Education Ministry today denied endorsing the guideline in a three-paragraph statement posted on its official Facebook page on Saturday. Free Malaysia Today has the statement:
“We wish to inform that we have not approved or endorsed to any parties to provide or issue the guidelines for distribution in schools.
“It is important to stress that it was issued by concerned quarters,” it said.
The ministry, however, said it is looking into the issue described as “social ills” and is constantly providing guidelines to prevent students from “engaging in such activities”.
Read the full article via FREE MALAYSIA TODAY
