The organiser of a Pride Day event held last Saturday has explained the reasons behind conducting the programme.

Pelangi Campaign president Numan Afifi was responding to an article by a portal which called the programme a "big gay iftar (breaking of fast)" event.

Admitting that he was bombarded with questions from his family, colleagues, friends and the public following the event, Numan explained that the original idea for the programme was to "unite people from various backgrounds through a breaking of fast event".

"It was aimed to go back to basics by having a dialogue with each other and getting to know one's beliefs, culture and identity," he said in a Facebook posting.

The programme was also organised to remember the lives of 49 people from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community who were killed in a nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, the United States on June 12, 2016.

"It is only through such programmes that we can prove to the extremists and terrorists that they cannot break our sense of brotherhood and humanity."

The programme attracted more than a hundred who came to savour the various Malaysian delicacies and dates imported from the Middle East, he said.

"The various meals and dishes in Malaysia mirror our diversity. Even though we are different, everyone is celebrated," he added.

It was reported that the breaking of fast event was held in Bangsar.

Most of those in attendance were supporters of the LGBT movement. Former programme manager of Sisters of Islam Suri Kempe, Nisha Ayub from Justice for Sisters and Transmen of Malaysia founder Dorian Wilde were the speakers during a forum titled "Remembering Orlando: Courage in the Face of Adversity".

Apart from the forum, the movie "Pride" was also screened. Pride is an LGBT-relayed historical film.

Calls for organisers to be probed

Comments in response to the event, however, were generally negative.

Some branded the LGBT movement as murtad (apostate), dajjal (the anti-Christ) while some also called for them to be "detained in forests".

"Pergi mampus dan terlaknat lah kau orang semua LGBT (Go and die and may you LGBT folk be cursed," read one comment in response to the article.

Apart from this, far right Muslim group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) also denounced the event and called for the organisers to be investigated.

Isma's missionary chief Omar Kassim said the organisers had gone against the true teachings of Islam by organising the event.

"Islam prohibits same-sex relations, what they are doing is they are promoting maksiat (vices)," he was quoted as saying by the group's portal Ismaweb.

Also denouncing the event, Malaysian Youth Council president Mua'amar Ghadafi Jamal Jamaluddin said he had no problems with the organisation on the breaking of fast event but disagreed on what he believes were attempts to promote the LGBT movement.

"I hope all quarters would monitor such attempts by this songsang (gay) group and would act before something more serious happens," he said, as quoted by Sinar Harian Online.