MORE than 3,000 people from the LGBT community have returned to the “right path” after counselling by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) in recent years, Berita Harian reported.
Jakim said it started its rehabilitation programme in 2010 and, to date, had helped more than 1,000 people with (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) tendencies to give up their “unusual lifestyle” and return to being “normal”.
Its family, social and community unit chief assistant director Zakuan Sawai was quoted as saying many of those who had earlier been involved in LGBT activities had voluntarily come to the department to seek help.
“Our focus is on giving them awareness through religious coaching and, from then on, we help them to return to society and regain their confidence to lead a normal life,” he told the paper.
Jawi said its outreach programme to tackle issues affecting the LGBT community had helped more than 2,000 people since 2006 to return to the “normal” path, adding that many of them became better Muslims than they were before.
Jawi director Paimuzi Yahya said some of those who had returned after the rehabilitation programme later became active in the department’s programmes.
“Some of them went on to spread their knowledge in the community they once belonged to,” he said.
He added that since 2005, Jawi had provided a comprehensive programme for the LGBT community that included Quran-reading classes, basic religious knowledge, counselling services and seminars on morals.
> A man from Ampang, Selangor, lost his Socso compensation amounting to RM10,000 after being duped into investing the money in a so-called gold scheme run by a woman from Congo, Harian Metro reported.
The 30-year-old victim was allegedly hoodwinked into thinking he could get returns of between 15% and 20% in just two weeks.
The African agent promised to prepare the paper work for the scheme to help the victim, who is unable to work due to a back injury and had been compensated by Socso.
He lodged a report and the police are looking for the suspect in Taman Kosas.
- Found in translation is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
