Talk is cheap, so goes the saying. In this respect, when Singapore ex-premier Lee Kuan Yew said he can accept reality if any of his six grandchildren turns out to be homosexual, was it merely rhetoric on his part or a genuine confession from an enlightened conscience?

In an recent interview with The Straits Times , Lee said homosexuality was a genetic issue; in other words Lee's openness is because there will be no one to blame should any one of his grandchildren admits being gay.

Singapore's Penal Code Section 377a criminalises "gross indecency" between men which includes consensual, private, adult homosexual acts with two years imprisonment as punishment.

NONE In the same interview Lee ( left ) cited that former United States vice-president Dick Cheney who, while detesting homosexuality, still had love for his lesbian daughter.

Truly a double standard scenario in Cheney's case, for he is against the very essence of what his daughter represents.

In the West, major studies say between two to 13 percent of the population are homosexuals.

Interestingly, in April 2007, in an interview with Reuters , Lee senior said Singapore was considering decriminalising homosexuality in an effort to overhaul the island's economy.

He had remarked: "They tell me that homosexuals are creative writers, dancers. If we want creative people then we have to put up with their idiosyncrasies. Let us not pretend it doesn't exist."

Lee said he saw no option but to legalise homosexual acts in Singapore. No doubt an opportunist, Lee, however, is regarded a man of high stature, looking at his administrative policies that have placed Singapore among the enviable countries after the island's ‘divorce' from Malaysia in 1965.

Realising the contributions homosexuals stand to contribute to Singapore's economy, Lee showed he had no qualms in eating  humble pie in welcoming them as they are into the fold of mainstream society.

With Lee being open to embracing reality should any of his grandchildren be gay or lesbian, does this mean that the homosexual community in Singapore now has a supporter in Lee?

It is obvious he has done some reading to finally comprehend that homosexuality is a genetic 'thing'. In fact, back in 1973, the American Psychiatric Association removed the term 'mental illness' from its medical journal, declaring that homosexuality is not a disease.

homosexuality and lesbians symbols 240105 This declaration "healed" millions of troubled individuals by simply saying "Never mind, go ahead with what you're doing, just learn to live with it."

APA's expert medical testimony strengthened the fact that be it ‘gay', ‘lesbian', ‘bisexual' or ‘transsexual' (LGBT), these are not dirty words that can be discriminated against by the heterosexuals or homophobics.

The message is clear - the LGBT community is not a group of 'sick' people and do not require rehabilitation.

Singapore's progressing, Malaysia is not

While's Singapore ex-premier Lee Kuan Yew has attained satori or awakening by way of extending compassion and support to the homosexual community there, Malaysia's former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has proved he is homophobic to the very core. No surprise then that Malaysia denies the LGBT communities their rights.

Malaysia's Section 377 of the Penal Code criminalises homosexual acts with a punishment of up to 20 years in prison and/or fine and whipping.

Mahathir's resentment of the homosexual community can be seen through the various anti-gay policies his administration had instituted.

In 1994, the government banned gay, bisexual and transsexual individuals from appearing on the state controlled media.

mahathir lee kuan yew visit comment 110609 02 Such hypocrisy can only come from Mahathir ( left ) who in 2000 during his reign as president of Umno had roped in a gay woman into politics, making her a member of the Umno supreme council, the highest decision-making body of the party.

If this abuse of one's fundamental rights was not bad enough, Mahathir in 2001 dictated that Malaysia would deport any visiting foreign cabinet minister or diplomat who is gay.

He also warned gay ministers in foreign countries not to bring along their partners when visiting Malaysia.

Such gay-bashing attitude from Mahathir has revealed just where the ‘third class' mentality among Malaysians originates from.

He must stop passing the buck and admit that such shameful mentality is his legacy to the people, one that will takes years to erode.

In 2005 the Royal Malaysian Navy chief Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor had said that the navy would never accept homosexuals. In 2009, a Health Minister official said homosexuality ‘helped' spread the H1N1 infection.

In 2010, the Malaysian Film Censorship Board in an arm-twisting manner declared it would not allow depiction of homosexual characters unless the characters repented or became heterosexual eventually.

In the face of Mahathir's dictatorship  attitude towards the gay community, the DAP is the only party in the country which had pledged to defend LGBT rights.

Ignorance is shameful

Recently, fellow Malaysian Azwan Ismail found himself the target of hate when his confession on YouTube of being gay was condemned by many and with some even making death threats against him.

All this has happened because Azwan is a Muslim and Islam abhors homosexuality, placing it among the sins that must be avoided.

In Azwan's case, the death threats have scared him enough to stop venturing out by himself.

His objective of coming out of the closet was not to seek attention or 'popularity' but to give hope and respond to the many incidences of suicides and attempted suicides by the LGBT teenagers and adults around the world.

Instead of being lauded for extending a helping hand to the LGBT communities in distress, Azwan was condemned. He was regarded as a shame and disgrace to the Muslim community, a sinner for openly having professed to being a homosexual.

We know full well that homosexuality is considered a crime in Malaysia but in spite of that Azwan gathered enough courage to offer support to fellow LGBT abroad who were ending their lives because of the overwhelming feelings of fear and loneliness.

Maybe Azwan knew the backlash that would come his way. But he was adamant in wanting to do his bit to help save lives.

Sad that Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom could not see beyond the word ‘homosexual' and made a fool of himself by saying gay activists were trying to promote homosexuality.

Jamil even said officials might take "appropriate action to prevent this from spreading because it would hurt Islam's image."

For people like Jamil, homosexuality is a disease, one which must be kept at bay at all costs.

The misconception continues to float that the LGBT communities comprise the ‘untouchables', when truth is that homosexuality is not a contagious disease. A sneeze or cough from a homosexual will not convert the next person into gay or lesbian.

As Lee Kuan Yew has understood, homosexuality is due to genetics. What then is preventing the minds of the politicians back in Malaysia from realising the same? Is the reason because Islam as the dominant religion condemns homosexuality, thereby sanctioning hatred towards homosexuals?

End the prejudice

How much longer must the homosexual community in Malaysia watch in silence as the uninformed minds go about making ill-informed conclusions concerning their sexual orientation?

Like Lee, if only they bother opening up their minds through expansion of knowledge, ignorance would long have been a thing of the past.

Making matters worse were the remarks from Perak mufti Harussani Harussani Zakaria Zakaria ( right ) who said Azwan should not have made an open declaration that "derided his own dignity and Islam in general".To Harrusani, how can being truthful to oneself be deriding?

PAS Youth leader Nasrudin Hassan wants the federal government to step up efforts to curb the activities of the homosexual community.

He urged Jakim (Islamic Development Department) to act on gay activities at all levels as they were becoming increasingly pervasive.

Nasrudin drew his own conclusion that there were "shocking" attempts to promote "gay culture" among the masses through films like Anu Dalam Botol , a film about a transsexual couple.

Homosexuals are human too

To the ignorant minds, let it be known that Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in spirit of brotherhood".

Article 5 ,meanwhile, says "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment".

When Puerto-Rican singer Ricky Martin came out via his blog on March 30, 2010, did his world come to an end? No. Instead, the announcement that he is gay was simply "too heavy for me to keep inside".

Martin added: "I think that sexuality is something that each individual should deal with in their own way. And that's all I have to say about that."

And when he spoke at the Human Rights Campaign national dinner in Washington DC about his coming out, he received support from the event's keynote speaker Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to United States President Barack Obama.

Jarrett spoke of the string of gay teen suicides across the country and said: "No young person should have to endure a life of relentless taunts and harassment just because they are gay. On behalf of President Obama, I want to make it clear the administration is firmly committed to working with you and other advocates."

For Martin, writing his memoir and thinking about his twin sons, whom he fathered through a surrogate mother, were the catalyst for his coming out of the closet.

Back in Malaysia, the silent voice of Prime Minister Najib Razak on this issue belittles his 1Malaysia propaganda of "People First Performance Now".

What has Najib to say about the death threats received by Azwan, who is a citizen of Malaysia?

It would do Najib some good to bear in mind that his American counterpart Barack Obama has nothing but respect and admiration for the gay community back in America.

How does Najib view the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals in Malaysia? Is there compassion or abhorrence for them on his part?

The homosexuals in Malaysia are tax payers and their votes makes a big difference in elections.

But how does Najib's government treat them? Sadly, there is nothing but utter contempt for them.

 

JESWAN KAUR was a journalist who spent many years writing for the mainstream media before deciding to 'break free' and put pen to paper to focus on and fight for issues that are conveniently marginalised by the powers-that-be.