Two mainstream newspapers, Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia and New Straits Times , today highlighted that a Philippine gay group has hailed Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal for sodomy.

Utusan also placed a front page blurb highlighting the news on page eight, while NST ’s report is also placed on page eight without any promotion on the front page.

Both papers reported that the Progressive Organisation of Gays in the Philippines (Pro-Gay) had lauded Anwar’s acquittal, as reported in the Philippine tabloid Tempo .

The group called for the abolishing of sodomy laws which they said is part of the British colonial legacy, and welcomed the acquittal as a positive sign for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender group in Malaysia.

“We join the democratic people’s movements in celebrating Anwar’s triumph over the frame-up,” said Oscar Atadero, a human rights officer of the group, as reported in Utusan Malaysia.

On Monday, Anwar was acquitted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court of a charge of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at the Desa Damansara condominium, on June 26, 2008.