Still Want to Visit Malaysia?

[fountainhall]

Malaysia is now one fucked-up country! Two weeks ago the ruling UMNO party threw its weight behind an opposition motion to introduce hudud throughout the country. Hudud is the Islamic penal code that permits amputations and stonings. Debate on the motion will take place in October. Hudud penalties would affect only the majority Musim community. But if that bill gets through parliament, it is yet more reason to avoid getting your gay Muslim partner into a cesspit of serious trouble.

It is generally agreed that the usually moderate UMNO has agreed to debate the motion only in an attempt by the Prime Minister Najib Razak to draw media attention away from what seem almost certainly to be his own thieving habits.

Razak has been under a black could of suspicion ever since an unexplained US$1 million was found in his personal bank account. It was not the muzzled state media that broke the news. It was the Wall Street Journal in the USA that made the allegations that he had embezzled the money from state funds. Nazib then did a Nixon by firing his Attorney General and a Deputy Prime Minster. Swiss and Singapore authorities are now investigating money transfers made directly to Najib. Recently French authorities have also announced an investigation into kickbacks over a $1.2 billion arms deal made when he was Defence Minister.

The previous PM for 23 years Mahatiir Mohammed, former strongman of the ruling UMNO pro-Malay party, has been vociferous in his many calls for Rajak to resign and stand trial. He has even resigned from UMNO and now leads opposition rallies.

[fountainhall]

Razak has been under a black could of suspicion ever since an unexplained US$1 million was found in his personal bank account..
Sorry - should have been "black cloud" and the amount is $1 BILLION!

[dinagam]

Corruption or misappropriation of funds in any amount still stinks far & wide...
Gay activities done in private in Malaysia will not be affected by hudud or the penal code unless there's a complaint.
Keep your actions private and avoid drama & flamboyant activities.

[cdnmatt]

Gay activities done in private in Malaysia will not be affected by hudud or the penal code unless there's a complaint.
Keep your actions private and avoid drama & flamboyant activities.

Depends where in Malaysia you are. If you stick to say Kuala Lumpur, then yeah, you're probably pretty safe. Go to the more Muslim areas in the north west especially, then it can be a different story.

I remember a story once of a retired, married (straight) couple were on vacation and sleeping on their yacht. One night they were wandering the street holding hands. The religious police didn't like this much, and later that night their yacht got raided, and they were both arrested because they couldn't produce a marriage certificate. All they had was their wedding rings.

Same, as go to KL, hang out in a bar, and for example, if you see a young white (straight) couple hugging each other or holding hands while sitting down, it'll only last maybe 10 minutes before they're asked to leave. I've seen it before multiple times.

And these are straight couples, not gay.

[fountainhall]

If you stick to say Kuala Lumpur, then yeah, you're probably pretty safe.
In general, I'd agree - but if your friend is a Muslim don't assume that being the privacy of your hotel room will protect him. If a devout Muslim is on the front desk of your hotel, be very, very careful. This is from a long site concerning Islamic Law in Malaysia -


Malaysia has religious police known as the Jawi. They routinely arrest Muslims for drinking alcohol, kissing in public, gambling, insulting Islam, eating in public during Ramadan, practicing homosexuality and not praying enough. The laws only apply to Muslims. The police have the right to enter homes, bars and hotels and so forth without a warrant.
http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Malaysia/sub5_4d/entry-3677.html

In Malaysia, don't even think of holding hands with your western partner in public, let alone kiss him.

[fedssocr]

corrupt leaders all over the world repressing their populations... Add in Turkey, for example. (Not to mention Thailand) I wonder where it all leads. The ability of people to communicate is much easier than ever before. The pressure can only build so long before things start exploding.

[goji]

Malaysia is now one fucked-up country!
Actually, I can think of quite a lot of other f*cked up countries, where a certain religion is dominant.
Malaysia & Turkey have long been the most notable exceptions. Turkey has been and is still a secular state, which is quite enlightened. However, their Islamist government is repressing free journalism & is slowly adopting some of the characteristics of dictatorship.
Malaysia hardly seems like a model democracy that respects individual freedom, although it is much better than places like Iran.

And to answer your title question ? Well I've been to Malaysia once & am in no hurry to go back.

[fountainhall]

I have actually visited Malaysia regularly for several decades - and usually have had a great time. But I have noticed quite a number of changes in recent years that make me more wary about future visits. Technically Malaysia is a multi-ethnic society. Ever since independence, though, there has been a policy in force to favour the Bumi Malays over the much more hardworking Chinese. The UMNO party has had a total monopoly in power and I believe it is the cracks which have appeared since PM Mahatir sacked his Deputy and anointed successor Anwar Ibrahim following the 1997 Financial Crisis that is now resulting in considerable instability and vastly increased corruption. Anwar, as you may recall, has been jailed twice on trumped up sodomy charges despite the Court of Appeal overturning the first "offence" and his wife now leads one of the opposition parties.

The thought of a moderate opposition taking power is anathema to the ethnic Malay powerborkers. In my view they will do anything to stay in power, even if that means cosying up extreme Islamic parties.

[cdnmatt]

there has been a policy in force to favour the Bumi Malays over the much more hardworking Chinese.

Isn't that somewhat how it's always been though? Chinese own the economy, Malays own the government, and Indians just get shitted on?

[dinagam]

Anwar is so yesterday.

Next please.

[fountainhall]

Anwar is so yesterday.
Not at all! His wife is the Leader of the Opposition and he himself will be released from jail in a couple of years or so after the second trumped up sodomy charge. Polls show a big majority of Malaysians would prefer Anwar as Prime Minister.

[Yraen]

Please consider:

In the period after the first gay sex charge and not-guilty verdict, Anwar was busy being political. During that time, his personal views appear to have skewed to a position just a bit further Right than Genghis Khan. (I guess the experiences brought on by his previous "best buddy", Mattahir, may have soured his view of the Malaysian world.)

Don't expect any improvement in Malaysia's governmental position if he gets back into political power.

[Buck Bee]

I'm going in Sept but thankfully its only a one night stopover in KL. I'm going with 2 Asian guys and myself and another Aussie, so as a group we will likely stand out as being gay. Will all be good or some dramas?

[aussie_]

I'm going in Sept but thankfully its only a one night stopover in KL. I'm going with 2 Asian guys and myself and another Aussie, so as a group we will likely stand out as being gay. Will all be good or some dramas?

I have been to Malaysia many times with Asian friends staying with me and alone. Never a problem with visitors to my hotel room. Nobody looks at us when we go anywhere and there is a big age difference. I have never noticed any bad attitude towards us. We do not go around holding hands or any obvious shows of affection in public. Maybe it will deteriorate in the future if the laws become more strict. I will be spending the next month in Malaysia mainland and Borneo and expect no problems. If there is I will report back.

[aussie_]

I just spent a week in Kuala Lumpur with my 22yo Vietnamese friend. Nobody gave us a second look, same as being in Thailand. No problems at all at our hotel or anywhere in the city.

We went to the Market Place nightclub on Saturday night about midnight and there was about twenty customers. A quick look at Facebook and a live feed from G Tower DivineBliss club showed it is the place to be, on a Saturday night at least. Straight into a taxi and we arrived at G Tower in five minutes from Market Place. You need a copy of your passport or ID or no entry. The 28th floor rooftop nightclub was packed and free entry because of the Olympics. Malaysia won a silver medal, good enough for me. It's an excellent and big venue, no cigarette smoking inside and the large outside area had seating and great views over the city.

Blue Boy nightclub has been renovated. Sorry, the long and dark walk to the toilet has gone. It definitely looks upmarket, same customer base of mostly fillipino money boys and foriegners. The show at 1230am was dominated by ladyboys. More shirtless guys dancing would be an improvement.

I am in Sandakan Borneo alone now. Not much action here but my first visit and here mostly for sightseeing. I did have a local visitor to my room today. First awkward look for the trip so far was from the young gay guy at reception. I think he was jealous 😁