Do you still thk Anwar is gay? Dr M: I didn't exame him

Contents:

• ANWAR IBRAHIM’S REBIRTH AND MALAYSIA’S LGBT+ RIGHTSCOULD THE RELEASE AND POLIL REBIRTH OF MALAYSIA’S FORMER PUTY PRIME MISTER ANWAR IBRAHIM SIGNAL A CHANGE THE UNTRY’S STANCE ON LGBT+ RIGHTS?BY DR ARJUN RAJKHOWA, UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNESHARE SELECTN TO:MALAYSIA’S RECENT HISTORIC ELECTN HAS PROPELLED ANWAR IBRAHIM – THE LONG-STANDG POLIL LEAR WHO HAS TWICE BEEN JAILED ON SODOMY CHARG – TO THE POLIL LIMELIGHT.ANWAR WAS EED A WEEK AFTER MALAYSIAN VOTERS ELECTED FORMER PRIME MISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD, OTG THE UNTRY’S LG ALN THAT HAD BEEN POWER FOR 61 YEARS. THE POLIL VETERAN NOW FDS HIMSELF THE EXTRAORDARY POSN OF WAG TO TAKE OVER THE PRIME MISTERSHIP, WHICH MAHATHIR HAS PROMISED WILL BE HAND OVER TO HIM AT AN UNSPECIFIED DATE. ANWAR IBRAHIM ON HIS RELEASE OM JAIL FOLLOWG THE MAY ELECTNS. PICTURE: SHUTTERSTOCKBUT GIVEN THE FORMER OPPOSN LEAR’S PERSECUTN AND HIS MENTS THAT “WE SHOULD NOT UNDULY HARASS OR DISCRIMATE AGAST OTHERS”, IS THE MLIM-MAJORY UNTRY LIKELY TO CHANGE S STANCE ON HOMOSEXUALY?SECTN 377ANWAR’S POLIL REER WAS FIRST RAILED WHEN, AS PUTY PRIME MISTER 1998, HE WAS CHARGED WH RPTN AND SODOMY. MALAYSIA'S REMARKABLE ELECTN OUTEREAD MOREIN MALAYSIA, SODOMY IS LISTED AMONG OTHER “UNNATURAL [SEXUAL] OFFENC” SECTN 377 OF THE PENAL . THIS IS A STATUTE THAT N BE FOUND THE PENAL S OF OTHER POST-LONIAL NATNS THE REGN AND HAS BEEN RETAED SOME FORM 36 POST-LONIAL NATNS ALTOGETHER. IN 1999, HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF RPTN AND SENTENCED TO A SIX-YEAR PRISON-TERM. THIS VERDICT EFFECTIVELY BANNED HIM OM HOLDG POLIL OFFICE UNTIL 2008. THEN, 2000, HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF SODOMY AND SENTENCED TO A FURTHER NE YEARS JAIL, TO BE SERVED AFTER HE HAD PLETED HIS SIX-YEAR SENTENCE.ANWAR WAS RELEASED 2004 AFTER THE FERAL URT UPHELD HIS APPEAL AGAST THE SODOMY SENTENCE.BUT THEN, 2008, AFTER HE WAS CREDED WH GALVANISG THE OPPOSN TO S BT ELECTORAL SHOWG, HE WAS AGA CHARGED WH SECTN 377 VLATNS. AFTER A LENGTHY LEGAL BATTLE THAT MARRED HIS TENURE AS LEAR OF THE OPPOSN PARLIAMENT, HE WAS SENTENCED TO A FIVE-YEAR PRISON TERM 2015. ANWAR ALWAYS NIED THE ALLEGATNS, SCRIBG THEM AS “POLILLY MOTIVATED” - SAYG THAT THEY WERE ED BY NAJIB RAZAK’S ERNMENT TO SILENCE THE OPPOSN JT AS WAS GAG GROUND.92-YEAR-OLD MAHATHIR MOHAMAD HAS SAID HE WILL HAND OVER THE ROLE OF PRIME MISTER TO ANWAR IBRAHIM. PICTURE: GETTY IMAGA RE-EXAMATN OF ANWAR’S PERSECUTNAS MALAYSIA BEGS TO GRAPPLE WH THE MACHATNS OF ERNMENT FORMATN AND THE TRANSN TO ANWAR’S LEARSHIP, IS LIKELY THAT THERE WILL LIMED TIME, OPPORTUNY AND PACY AMONG POLICY-MAKERS TO FULLY RE-EXAME HIS LONG YEARS OF PERSECUTN. OF URSE, THE ISSUE OF POLIL SUPPRSN IS (AND SHOULD BE) THE PRIMARY NSIRATN ANY RE-EXAMATN OF THIS PART OF MALAYSIA’S HISTORY, AND TACKLG THAT WILL BE A SIGNIFINT CHALLENGE. IS ATRALIA BEG THE 'LONELY' UNTRY?READ MOREHOWEVER, THE LEGISLATIVE AND LEGAL AMEWORKS AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL CLIMATE – THE SEEMGLY IRREVERSIBLE POST-LONIAL MMENT TO THE CRIMALISATN OF HOMOSEXUALY – THAT ENABLED ANWAR’S PERSECUTN TO OCCUR WILL NOT GO AWAY. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF SOUTH-EAST AND SOUTH ASIA, EVEN PROGRSIVE POLIL MOVEMENTS AND (PARTICULARLY) ERNMENTS NNOT MTER THE POLIL WHEREWHAL TO FIGHT ENTRENCHED SEXUALY AND SEXUAL INTY-BASED DISCRIMATN. THE FORMIDABLE POWER OF FUNDAMENTALIST RELIG GROUPS AND IOLOGY MALAYSIA, PARALLEL WH THE WIR REGN, IS UNLIKELY TO DIMISH SOON. AS EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN, ANY ATTEMPT TO FIGHT DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBT+ DIVIDUALS, WHETHER ’S THE FORM OF SOCIAL AND MUNY OUTREACH, LEGAL REFORM OR POLIL REFORM, WILL BE ACTIVELY THWARTED BY FUNDAMENTALIST RELIGN. FROM UNWAVERG STATE SUPPORT FOR THE ACTNS OF THE HARD-LE RELIG POLICE TO A LACK OF LEGAL PROTECTN FOR VICTIMS OF RELIG PERSECUTN, A NUMBER OF SOCIAL AND POLIL TRENDS MONSTRATE HOW THE BED POWER OF STATE AND RELIGN ACTS AS A NSTRAT ON LIBERTY. MALAYSIA HAS SEEN MASS ARRTS FOR RELIG OFFENC THE 1990S, AND VIGILANTE JTICE MOBILISATNS HAVE NTUED APACE. SUPPORTERS OF ANWAR IBRAHIM HOLD A MONSTRATN OUTSI THE PALACE OF JTICE 2004. PICTURE: GETTY IMAGPUBLIC HEALTH EFFORTS TO ADDRS CREASG RAT OF HIV AND STI TRANSMISSN AND TO IMPROVE ACCS TO TN ON SAFE SEX HAVE ALSO BEEN THWARTED BY OPPOSN BASED ON RELIG BELIEF OR NSERVATIVE SENTIMENT. UNIVERSY-SANCTNED EVENTS AIMED AT “GAY NVERSN” – NVERTG GAY DIVIDUALS TO HETEROSEXUALY – HAVE EVEN BEEN STAGED BY RELIG STUNT GROUPS. AND, POLILLY, THERE IS A POWERFUL NSTUENCY THAT FAVOURS THE PRERVATN OF THE STAT QUO. IS MOCRACY DYG BEFORE OUR EY?READ MORETHE MANDS OF POLIL ALN-BUILDG AND ERNANCE REQUIRE THE PRAGMATIC OMISSN OF CERTA NVENIENT PROBLEMS. A FLEDGLG ERNMENT NNOT AFFORD TO LOSE S MOMENTUM BY PROPOSG ACTNS THAT ARE LIKELY TO PROVE NTENT OR DISADVANTAGEO. REALPOLIK PLAC LIMATNS ON PROGRS, AND THAT WILL BE THE SE MALAYSIA.CHANC FOR REFORM FROM THE NEWLY-ELECTED MAHATHIR’S PAST POLIL SUPPORT FOR NTUED LEGAL DISCRIMATN, TO A RANGE OF CULTURAL PROHIBNS REFLECTED THE MEDIA, THERE ARE SEVERAL FACETS TO MALAYSIA’S DISREGARD FOR AND VLATN OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT+ PEOPLE. MANY MAY FEEL REASSURED BY THE LIBERAL MDSET OF URBAN EL MALAYSIA, BUT THERE IS STILL GREAT FEAR AND TREPIDATN WHEN TO ISSU AROUND SEXUALY AND SEXUAL INTY.SOME OF THOSE ELE MALAYSIANS, PARTICULARLY MLIM MALAYS (WHOSE LIV ARE ERNED NOT ONLY BY SECULAR LAW BUT ALSO RELIG LAW), EXPRS RERVATNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL REPERCSNS OF G OUT, TERMS OF THEIR SAFETY AND WELLBEG.MANY WHO LIVE ABROAD, CLUDG ATRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, STILL GRAPPLE WH THE SOCIAL RAMIFITNS OF HOMOPHOBIA, REFG TO TALK ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIPS AND PRIVATE LIV WH FAY AND IENDS BACK HOME. SOME FEEL PELLED TO MATA DUAL INTI ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET AROUND THE PROBLEM OF NTROLLG WHO KNOWS WHAT ABOUT THEM. AS THE NEW ERNMENT IS FORMED, ’S UNLIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE A FULL RE-EXAMATN OF ANWAR IBRAHIM’S PERSECUTN. PICTURE: GETTY IMAG FOR RAL, RELIG AND UNRPRIVILEGED MALAYSIANS, AND FOR TRANS PEOPLE, HOMOPHOBIA AND PERSECUTN N TAKE DIRECT AND VLENT FORMS. NEVERTHELS, THERE HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT MOVEMENTS AND IATIV TO IMPROVE THE LIV AND WELLBEG OF LGBT+ PEOPLE. FROM MUNY OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO LEGAL AND MUNY-BASED ADVOCY GROUPS, AND OM ARTS FTIVALS TO UNIVERSY-BASED, STUNT-LED IATIV, EFFORTS AIMED AT CREASG AWARENS OF AND FIGHTG AGAST SEXUALY-BASED DISCRIMATN HAVE NTUED TO GATHER MOMENTUM. MY REARCH HIGHLIGHTS A NUMBER OF AMIC, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVI THAT HAVE BEEN UNRTAKEN BY THE ASIAN DIASPORA TO SPECIFILLY HIGHLIGHT THE CHALLENG THAT LGBT+ DIVIDUALS OM THE REGN FACE. WHILE ’S PROBABLY TOO MUCH TO HOPE THAT MAHATHIR’S NEW ERNMENT WILL DIRECTLY ADDRS THE ISSUE OF NTUED CRIMALISATN OF HOMOSEXUALY, ULD OFFER TO PUBLICLY SUPPORT SOCIAL SERVIC AND MUNY OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT AIM TO SUPPORT AND IMPROVE THE LIV OF MALAYSIA’S LGBT+ PEOPLE.LET’S WA AND SEE.A VERSN OF THIS ARTICLE ALSO APPEARS ON ELECTN WATCH.BANNER IMAGE: GETTY IMAGFIRST PUBLISHED ON 27 MAY 2018 PUBLIC AFFAIRSMALAYSIAELECTNSANWAR IBRAHIMGAY RIGHTSLGBTIQA+START THE NVERSATN ON FACEBOOKLOADG NVERSATN...SORRY, SOMETHG PREVENTED THE FACEBOOK MENTS FEED OM LOADG. PUBLIC AFFAIRSFEATUREDDR ARJUN RAJKHOWAPROJECT OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF MEDICE AND RADLOGY, FACULTY OF MEDICE, DENTISTRY AND HEALTH SCIENC, UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNE; PETER DOHERTY INSTUTE FOR INFECTN AND IMMUNYSHARE: FACEBOOKTWTERLKEDINMEDIA AND REPUBLITNTERMS OF ECLOSEREPUBLISH THIS ARTICLE WE BELIEVE THE EE FLOW OF RMATN. THIS WORK IS LICENSED UNR A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTN-NO DERIVATIV 3.0 ATRALIA (CC BY-ND 3.0 AU), SO YOU N REPUBLISH OUR ARTICL FOR EE, ONLE OR PRT.ALL REPUBLISHED ARTICL MT BE ATTRIBUTED THE FOLLOWG WAY AND NTA LKS TO BOTH THE SE AND ORIGAL ARTICLE: “THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON PURSU. READ THE ORIGAL ARTICLE.”ANWAR IBRAHIM’S REBIRTH AND MALAYSIA’S LGBT+ RIGHTS

ANWAR IBRAHIM’S REBIRTH AND MALAYSIA’S LGBT+ RIGHTSCOULD THE RELEASE AND POLIL REBIRTH OF MALAYSIA’S FORMER PUTY PRIME MISTER ANWAR IBRAHIM SIGNAL A CHANGE THE UNTRY’S STANCE ON LGBT+ RIGHTS?BY DR ARJUN RAJKHOWA, UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNESHARE SELECTN TO:MALAYSIA’S RECENT HISTORIC ELECTN HAS PROPELLED ANWAR IBRAHIM – THE LONG-STANDG POLIL LEAR WHO HAS TWICE BEEN JAILED ON SODOMY CHARG – TO THE POLIL LIMELIGHT.ANWAR WAS EED A WEEK AFTER MALAYSIAN VOTERS ELECTED FORMER PRIME MISTER MAHATHIR MOHAMAD, OTG THE UNTRY’S LG ALN THAT HAD BEEN POWER FOR 61 YEARS. THE POLIL VETERAN NOW FDS HIMSELF THE EXTRAORDARY POSN OF WAG TO TAKE OVER THE PRIME MISTERSHIP, WHICH MAHATHIR HAS PROMISED WILL BE HAND OVER TO HIM AT AN UNSPECIFIED DATE. ANWAR IBRAHIM ON HIS RELEASE OM JAIL FOLLOWG THE MAY ELECTNS. PICTURE: SHUTTERSTOCKBUT GIVEN THE FORMER OPPOSN LEAR’S PERSECUTN AND HIS MENTS THAT “WE SHOULD NOT UNDULY HARASS OR DISCRIMATE AGAST OTHERS”, IS THE MLIM-MAJORY UNTRY LIKELY TO CHANGE S STANCE ON HOMOSEXUALY?SECTN 377ANWAR’S POLIL REER WAS FIRST RAILED WHEN, AS PUTY PRIME MISTER 1998, HE WAS CHARGED WH RPTN AND SODOMY. MALAYSIA'S REMARKABLE ELECTN OUTEREAD MOREIN MALAYSIA, SODOMY IS LISTED AMONG OTHER “UNNATURAL [SEXUAL] OFFENC” SECTN 377 OF THE PENAL . THIS IS A STATUTE THAT N BE FOUND THE PENAL S OF OTHER POST-LONIAL NATNS THE REGN AND HAS BEEN RETAED SOME FORM 36 POST-LONIAL NATNS ALTOGETHER. IN 1999, HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF RPTN AND SENTENCED TO A SIX-YEAR PRISON-TERM. THIS VERDICT EFFECTIVELY BANNED HIM OM HOLDG POLIL OFFICE UNTIL 2008. THEN, 2000, HE WAS FOUND GUILTY OF SODOMY AND SENTENCED TO A FURTHER NE YEARS JAIL, TO BE SERVED AFTER HE HAD PLETED HIS SIX-YEAR SENTENCE.ANWAR WAS RELEASED 2004 AFTER THE FERAL URT UPHELD HIS APPEAL AGAST THE SODOMY SENTENCE.BUT THEN, 2008, AFTER HE WAS CREDED WH GALVANISG THE OPPOSN TO S BT ELECTORAL SHOWG, HE WAS AGA CHARGED WH SECTN 377 VLATNS. AFTER A LENGTHY LEGAL BATTLE THAT MARRED HIS TENURE AS LEAR OF THE OPPOSN PARLIAMENT, HE WAS SENTENCED TO A FIVE-YEAR PRISON TERM 2015. ANWAR ALWAYS NIED THE ALLEGATNS, SCRIBG THEM AS “POLILLY MOTIVATED” - SAYG THAT THEY WERE ED BY NAJIB RAZAK’S ERNMENT TO SILENCE THE OPPOSN JT AS WAS GAG GROUND.92-YEAR-OLD MAHATHIR MOHAMAD HAS SAID HE WILL HAND OVER THE ROLE OF PRIME MISTER TO ANWAR IBRAHIM. PICTURE: GETTY IMAGA RE-EXAMATN OF ANWAR’S PERSECUTNAS MALAYSIA BEGS TO GRAPPLE WH THE MACHATNS OF ERNMENT FORMATN AND THE TRANSN TO ANWAR’S LEARSHIP, IS LIKELY THAT THERE WILL LIMED TIME, OPPORTUNY AND PACY AMONG POLICY-MAKERS TO FULLY RE-EXAME HIS LONG YEARS OF PERSECUTN. OF URSE, THE ISSUE OF POLIL SUPPRSN IS (AND SHOULD BE) THE PRIMARY NSIRATN ANY RE-EXAMATN OF THIS PART OF MALAYSIA’S HISTORY, AND TACKLG THAT WILL BE A SIGNIFINT CHALLENGE. IS ATRALIA BEG THE 'LONELY' UNTRY?READ MOREHOWEVER, THE LEGISLATIVE AND LEGAL AMEWORKS AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL CLIMATE – THE SEEMGLY IRREVERSIBLE POST-LONIAL MMENT TO THE CRIMALISATN OF HOMOSEXUALY – THAT ENABLED ANWAR’S PERSECUTN TO OCCUR WILL NOT GO AWAY. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF SOUTH-EAST AND SOUTH ASIA, EVEN PROGRSIVE POLIL MOVEMENTS AND (PARTICULARLY) ERNMENTS NNOT MTER THE POLIL WHEREWHAL TO FIGHT ENTRENCHED SEXUALY AND SEXUAL INTY-BASED DISCRIMATN. THE FORMIDABLE POWER OF FUNDAMENTALIST RELIG GROUPS AND IOLOGY MALAYSIA, PARALLEL WH THE WIR REGN, IS UNLIKELY TO DIMISH SOON. AS EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN, ANY ATTEMPT TO FIGHT DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBT+ DIVIDUALS, WHETHER ’S THE FORM OF SOCIAL AND MUNY OUTREACH, LEGAL REFORM OR POLIL REFORM, WILL BE ACTIVELY THWARTED BY FUNDAMENTALIST RELIGN. FROM UNWAVERG STATE SUPPORT FOR THE ACTNS OF THE HARD-LE RELIG POLICE TO A LACK OF LEGAL PROTECTN FOR VICTIMS OF RELIG PERSECUTN, A NUMBER OF SOCIAL AND POLIL TRENDS MONSTRATE HOW THE BED POWER OF STATE AND RELIGN ACTS AS A NSTRAT ON LIBERTY. MALAYSIA HAS SEEN MASS ARRTS FOR RELIG OFFENC THE 1990S, AND VIGILANTE JTICE MOBILISATNS HAVE NTUED APACE. SUPPORTERS OF ANWAR IBRAHIM HOLD A MONSTRATN OUTSI THE PALACE OF JTICE 2004. PICTURE: GETTY IMAGPUBLIC HEALTH EFFORTS TO ADDRS CREASG RAT OF HIV AND STI TRANSMISSN AND TO IMPROVE ACCS TO TN ON SAFE SEX HAVE ALSO BEEN THWARTED BY OPPOSN BASED ON RELIG BELIEF OR NSERVATIVE SENTIMENT. UNIVERSY-SANCTNED EVENTS AIMED AT “GAY NVERSN” – NVERTG GAY DIVIDUALS TO HETEROSEXUALY – HAVE EVEN BEEN STAGED BY RELIG STUNT GROUPS. AND, POLILLY, THERE IS A POWERFUL NSTUENCY THAT FAVOURS THE PRERVATN OF THE STAT QUO. IS MOCRACY DYG BEFORE OUR EY?READ MORETHE MANDS OF POLIL ALN-BUILDG AND ERNANCE REQUIRE THE PRAGMATIC OMISSN OF CERTA NVENIENT PROBLEMS. A FLEDGLG ERNMENT NNOT AFFORD TO LOSE S MOMENTUM BY PROPOSG ACTNS THAT ARE LIKELY TO PROVE NTENT OR DISADVANTAGEO. REALPOLIK PLAC LIMATNS ON PROGRS, AND THAT WILL BE THE SE MALAYSIA.CHANC FOR REFORM FROM THE NEWLY-ELECTED MAHATHIR’S PAST POLIL SUPPORT FOR NTUED LEGAL DISCRIMATN, TO A RANGE OF CULTURAL PROHIBNS REFLECTED THE MEDIA, THERE ARE SEVERAL FACETS TO MALAYSIA’S DISREGARD FOR AND VLATN OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT+ PEOPLE. MANY MAY FEEL REASSURED BY THE LIBERAL MDSET OF URBAN EL MALAYSIA, BUT THERE IS STILL GREAT FEAR AND TREPIDATN WHEN TO ISSU AROUND SEXUALY AND SEXUAL INTY.SOME OF THOSE ELE MALAYSIANS, PARTICULARLY MLIM MALAYS (WHOSE LIV ARE ERNED NOT ONLY BY SECULAR LAW BUT ALSO RELIG LAW), EXPRS RERVATNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL REPERCSNS OF G OUT, TERMS OF THEIR SAFETY AND WELLBEG.MANY WHO LIVE ABROAD, CLUDG ATRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, STILL GRAPPLE WH THE SOCIAL RAMIFITNS OF HOMOPHOBIA, REFG TO TALK ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIPS AND PRIVATE LIV WH FAY AND IENDS BACK HOME. SOME FEEL PELLED TO MATA DUAL INTI ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET AROUND THE PROBLEM OF NTROLLG WHO KNOWS WHAT ABOUT THEM. AS THE NEW ERNMENT IS FORMED, ’S UNLIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE A FULL RE-EXAMATN OF ANWAR IBRAHIM’S PERSECUTN. PICTURE: GETTY IMAG FOR RAL, RELIG AND UNRPRIVILEGED MALAYSIANS, AND FOR TRANS PEOPLE, HOMOPHOBIA AND PERSECUTN N TAKE DIRECT AND VLENT FORMS. NEVERTHELS, THERE HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT MOVEMENTS AND IATIV TO IMPROVE THE LIV AND WELLBEG OF LGBT+ PEOPLE. FROM MUNY OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO LEGAL AND MUNY-BASED ADVOCY GROUPS, AND OM ARTS FTIVALS TO UNIVERSY-BASED, STUNT-LED IATIV, EFFORTS AIMED AT CREASG AWARENS OF AND FIGHTG AGAST SEXUALY-BASED DISCRIMATN HAVE NTUED TO GATHER MOMENTUM. MY REARCH HIGHLIGHTS A NUMBER OF AMIC, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVI THAT HAVE BEEN UNRTAKEN BY THE ASIAN DIASPORA TO SPECIFILLY HIGHLIGHT THE CHALLENG THAT LGBT+ DIVIDUALS OM THE REGN FACE. WHILE ’S PROBABLY TOO MUCH TO HOPE THAT MAHATHIR’S NEW ERNMENT WILL DIRECTLY ADDRS THE ISSUE OF NTUED CRIMALISATN OF HOMOSEXUALY, ULD OFFER TO PUBLICLY SUPPORT SOCIAL SERVIC AND MUNY OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT AIM TO SUPPORT AND IMPROVE THE LIV OF MALAYSIA’S LGBT+ PEOPLE.LET’S WA AND SEE.A VERSN OF THIS ARTICLE ALSO APPEARS ON ELECTN WATCH.BANNER IMAGE: GETTY IMAGFIRST PUBLISHED ON 27 MAY 2018 PUBLIC AFFAIRSMALAYSIAELECTNSANWAR IBRAHIMGAY RIGHTSLGBTIQA+START THE NVERSATN ON FACEBOOKLOADG NVERSATN...SORRY, SOMETHG PREVENTED THE FACEBOOK MENTS FEED OM LOADG. PUBLIC AFFAIRSFEATUREDDR ARJUN RAJKHOWAPROJECT OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF MEDICE AND RADLOGY, FACULTY OF MEDICE, DENTISTRY AND HEALTH SCIENC, UNIVERSY OF MELBOURNE; PETER DOHERTY INSTUTE FOR INFECTN AND IMMUNYSHARE: FACEBOOKTWTERLKEDINMEDIA AND REPUBLITNTERMS OF ECLOSEREPUBLISH THIS ARTICLE WE BELIEVE THE EE FLOW OF RMATN. THIS WORK IS LICENSED UNR A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTN-NO DERIVATIV 3.0 ATRALIA (CC BY-ND 3.0 AU), SO YOU N REPUBLISH OUR ARTICL FOR EE, ONLE OR PRT.ALL REPUBLISHED ARTICL MT BE ATTRIBUTED THE FOLLOWG WAY AND NTA LKS TO BOTH THE SE AND ORIGAL ARTICLE: “THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON PURSU. READ THE ORIGAL ARTICLE.”ANWAR IBRAHIM’S REBIRTH AND MALAYSIA’S LGBT+ RIGHTS

He is bt iends wh Maxxie Oliver, although his views on Maxxie's sexual orientatn put a stra on their iendship at one pot, as he believ that Maxxie's homosexualy go agast his relign. In "Tony", Anwar and Chris are nvced by Maxxie to go to a "big gay night out" wh him, believg that there would be lots of betiful women there and they would be the only straight men there to shag.

Maxxie rgs him to wish him a happy birthday, and tells Anwar to tell his parents that he is gay or he would not attend the party. Kharral nvers wh Maxxie, Anwar blurts out that Maxxie is gay.

Kharral, much to the surprise of Anwar and Maxxie, explas that homosexuals are somethg he do not unrstand, but would never discrimate agast, as he has fah that God will one day enlighten him and make him unrstand.