Former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa hit out at Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) chief Ambiga Sreenevasan saying the latter is “unfit” to lead the group for being supportive of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

The PAS central committee member said at an anti-LGBT forum in Universiti Teknologi Mara Kuala Lumpur that those who supported homosexuality should be regarded as threat to society.

pas muktamar 070609 nasharudin mat isa 02 “Based on an edict by (prominent Muslim cleric) Yusof al-Qardhawi, one cannot eat or drink with them, let alone be a follower,” said Nasharudin ( left ), who is also the chairperson of Fiqh Contemporary Studies Centre.

Despite backing Bersih’s cause, Nasharudin was reported by the English language dailies New Straits Times and The Star as saying the movement should be led by political parties and not individuals.

He also condemned the backing of some “prominent and respected” individuals of the LGBT community, calling it a “cancerous disease”.

“We are here to publicly state our stand against homosexuality because we do not want to invite God’s wrath,” he said.

The Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia also reported Nasharudin as saying that although Islam respects human rights it should not be misunderstood by supporting “immoral activities”.

Yesterday, about 1,000 people attended a rally in Universiti Putra Malaysia attacking the LGBT community and Ambiga.

Ambiga came under the spotlight after she was invited to officiate Seksualiti Merdeka , an annual festival celebrating the rights of people of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity, organised by a loose coalition of NGOs, artistes, activists and individuals since 2008.