Malaysian minister mocked after linking work stress to being gay
A Malaysian minister has drawn ridicule and criticism after suggesting that work-related stress could contribute to people becoming gay, remarks that come amid intensified official scrutiny of the country’s LGBTQ community.
The comments were made by Religious Affairs Minister Dr. Zulkifli Hasan in a written parliamentary reply dated January 27, responding to a question from opposition Islamist lawmaker Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff on trends related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in Malaysia.
Citing a 2017 study by “Sulaiman et al”, Zulkifli said factors such as “societal influence, sexual experiences, work stress and other personal factors” could contribute to what he described as “LGBT-related behaviour.”
He added that there were no comprehensive official statistics on the size of the LGBTQ population in the country.
Comment draws flak
The remarks triggered swift backlash online, with social media users questioning both the logic and scientific basis of the claim.
Several comments mocked the suggestion that stress could affect sexual orientation, with one widely shared post quipping that, by such reasoning, entire workplaces should have “turned gay” by now.
While the comments were widely lampooned, LGBTQ advocates said the episode reflected a deeper and more troubling pattern of state-sanctioned stigma.
“This misinformation reinforces the assumption that LGBT people’s sexual orientation and gender identity can be corrected, changed or are not real or as valid as cisgender heterosexual identities,” Thilaga Sulathireh of LGBTQ rights group Justice for Sisters told This Week in Asia.
“The fact is diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics is completely natural and normal. This has been proven by medical and other bodies,” Thilaga added. “The minister must retract and correct the misinformation.”
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Under Malaysian law, certain consensual same-sex acts remain criminalised under colonial-era provisions of the federal Penal Code. Muslims may also face prosecution under state-level sharia laws for same-sex conduct or gender expression.
Zulkifli has previously said individuals suspected of such offences may be subjected to counselling or rehabilitation programmes if evidence is insufficient for prosecution.
Rights groups warned that official statements linking sexuality to stress or moral failure risk further marginalising an already vulnerable community, particularly when coupled with heightened enforcement and public condemnation.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
