I want to thank Pang Kee Teik for his candid letter last week ' LGBT, don't put up with living in fear '. I think he is right, those of us fortunate to have lived a tolerable life should spare a thought for those who have suffered , or still do, as a result of having to live an invisible, secret life.

I was mostly spared the agony because my family was not religious and as casual Buddhists, my folks never made my single life an issue except for the missing daughter in law and grandchildren, which were all they wanted from me. My fortune came about because, despite what the politicians say, not "all religions" are against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals (LGBT).

As such, I want to epress my utter disgust at the announcement by Deputy Mashitah Ibrahim, that the government was training people to 'convert' LGBT, again blaming "all religions" for being against same sex relations.

Firstly, Christianity and Islam do not constitue "all religions", hello, there are other religions in this world and in Malaysia. Secondly, people of those religions use one episode in the Bible to justify their stand.

I recall that the South Africans had used similar tactics to practice apartheid, and similarly religious passage had been used to suppress women. And if they had persisted, the deputy minister would be a housewife making rendang for her husband rather than speaking in Parliament. So much for the religion argument.

And considering Malaysia (and its former progeny Singapore) is the only nation in Asean that has shown so much government inspired homophobia, as opposed to Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and the rest, that makes us the most backward in Asean in this respect, (not to mention being behind them in economic standing).

And now they want to waste precious government resources (Idris Jala has said we are approaching bankruptcy) to indulge in government sponsored homophobia. Why not train volunteers to expose corruption instead? That is by far, the biggest social ill in Malaysia.

And mainly what ticked me off about that report is the continuing hatred fanned by these officials in telling people LGBT are deviant. Who is deviant?

I would propose heterosexuals have been displaying deviant behaviour as well. All religions, to use the deputy minister’s sweeping statement, believe the human body is sacred. Yet people desecrate their bodies in many ways - inhaling poisons (tobacco) to destroy their lungs, injecting bacteria (botox) and doing all kinds fo "unnatural" things to their body in the name of beauty. Aren't these 'deviant' behaviour?

To me smoking is not only deviant and unnatural, it is slow murder to second hand smokers. Yet we tolerate, even condone this deviant act because the majority indulge in it. It is 'normal' by the power of the majority.

There is also the argument that eating meat is 'deviant' and abnormal, because the human animal was built to digest vegetables. So to vegetarians, eating meat is deviant.

What about the 10 commandments, on lying and stealing etc? People who practice such deviant behaviour against the 'norm' and against 'all religions' and against 'God's word' still get to be ministers and top politicians and NGO leaders. People who commit adultery still get to be party chiefs. People who covet other's wives...who steal public money, who lie to cover up all kinds of shenanigans...the list goes on.

So who is 'deviant'? We are ruled by 50 years where corruption and discrimination have become the 'norm' and where decent people are the minority amongst those in power. So much for the power of the majority and what is normal and accepted.

And yet these people can claim moral and religious authority over LGBT. That is hilarious.

My issue is not whether LGBT are right or want others to follow their position, my issue, like Pang's is that we want to be left alone, with dignity. You don't have to accept us but please don't spread hatred and ignorance.

Please stop calling LGBT deviants. At least have some respect for others' differences. People don't use the word ‘blind’ or ‘deaf mute’ any more, they use more respectful terms so as not to hurt their feelings. It does not change anything, but it shows sensitivity and compassion.

And if you feel your religious convictions tell you not to accept LGBT, that is your right, but the buck stops there. Encouraging others to do the same is spreading hate, and that is wrong. Everyone has his/her own religious beliefs.

I believe killing animals is wrong, but I do not go on a crusade against meat eaters or religious sacrifices. So who is right and who is wrong? The majority? We should be beyond that by now, to cultivate mutual understanding and respect amongst differing religions and beliefs.

So back to Pang's letter. I would say, Seksualiti Merdeka suffered from bad timing. My view is that Malaysians in general (not the ones who always make a lot of noise in public, but the real Malaysians next door) are tolerant and forgiving people.

It's just that elections are around the corner, and Seksualiti Merdeka has become collateral damage to the campaing against Anwar Ibrahim. Plain and simple. Before that, nobody would give a hoot about LGBT.

So now a bunch of people who have cleaned this country dry, are whipping up a storm about Anwar's supposed sexuality and activities (all other sexually dubious offences by other politicians seem forgotten and forgiven).

And sadly the LGBT are caught in the storm and made victims of these unscrupulous, and as I have argued above, largely deviant politicians, and their sycophants.

I say to these deviants, leave us LGBT alone. At least some of us, like Pang, have tried to do good for his community by helping the downtrodden and the desperate. That's far more honorable than those critics who keep spewing their hate and fanning discrimination. Ask yourselves, what have YOU done for the community?