Urging a boycott of Ambank for a tie-up with an LGBT-friendly firm is taking “stupidity” to another level, says a minister.

"Clearly stupidity has no boundaries," Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Twitter yesterday.

If all firms with links to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and  transgender community are also to be boycotted, then Apple products should be shunned as well, Khairy said.

"If that's the case then using an iPhone can also be considered promoting LGBT activities because of Tim Cook," he said.

Cook is the chief executive officer of technology giant Apple, which produces the popular mobile phone the iPhone.

Cook recently announced that he is gay.

Khairy made the remarks in response to Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) president Azwanddin Hamzah ( right ), who yesterday urged a boycott of Ambank for the its ties with Metlife Holdings.

Metlife, a US firm, had in 2013 been named the best place to work for LGBTs by the United States Human Rights Campaign.

JMM said by working with Metlife, Ambank is colluding in the "greater agenda" of desensitising Muslims in Malaysia to the LGBT cause.

It added that it is unreasonable to allow Metlife a stake in takaful (Islamic insurance) business, as takaful is Islamic and Islam forbids LGBT activities.

Ambank and Metlife co-offer the insurance products Amlife and Amlife Takaful.

Anti-LGBT sentiments have been aired widely since the Court of Appeal's Nov 7 judgment ruling the Negri Sembilan syariah anti-cross dressing enactment unconstitutional.

Critics, including former Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad, say the ruling undermines Islamic teachings and opens the floodgates for other applications, including for same sex marriage.

The Negri Sembilan government is to appeal the court ruling.

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