‘LGBTQ community mustn’t be allowed to run nurseries’

SEREMBAN: A state Wanita Umno leader has called for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community to be disallowed from running nurseries or pre-schools to prevent them from corrupting the minds of the young.

Negri Sembilan Wanita Umno chief Latteffah Ali said from her observation on social media, many transgenders had expressed interest in opening nurseries or pre-schools.

However, the authorities, she said, should not entertain such requests for fear that they might influence children with their queer lifestyle.

“Recently, we have seen some people fighting for the so-called rights of this minority community. We hope that the Federal Government will not give in on this matter,” she told reporters here yesterday.

Latteffah said she disagreed with social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir for more public policies and education to better understand the basic rights of the LGBTQ community.

Marina had said that the community was not asking for extra rights but the same as those of everyone else because most were marginalised and disempowered.

Adding that Marina should spell out what these rights were, Latteffah said: “If you are talking about allowing transgenders to share prayer rooms or toilets with women, then that is ridiculous. Islam does not allow this and the Government must safeguard the rights of women and the majority.”

She also claimed that she knew of female or male friends who were confused about their sexuality in their youth only to get married later and have their own families.

In Kuala Lumpur, Universiti Malaya Dean of Medicine and Infectious Diseases Prof Datuk Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman said a doctor who criticised Marina on Facebook over the issue did not warrant punitive action.

Dr Adeeba said although she had rebuked Dr Nur Ilyani Mohamed Nawawi for her statement, doctors were only concerned about her judgemental tone.

“Many of the doctors were concerned about the more judgemental attitude that she portrayed very publicly.

“For me, her action does not warrant any punitive action,” she said after the launch of the 1st Malaysian Men’s Health 2018 conference.