Last month, police in Kelantan, Malaysia, arrested more than 20 men allegedly attended a private gathering for gay men in a rental bungalow in the village of Kampung Kenmin. Authorities alleged that the man was suspected of intending to engage in “immoral activities.”
At a press conference on July 19, Kelantan Police Chief Datuk Mamou Yusof Mamat said the attack followed public tips on the events of mid-June. He said the rally was a closed door event promoted on social media and charged admission fees.
Police said the early morning attack found condoms and HIV medication, but suggested that Maud Yusov said the man might have been intended to engage in same-sex relationships. However, no sexual activity was observed during the attack.
Mohd Yusoff claimed that men between the ages of 20 and 30 were admitted to being part of a gay group. One attendee is said to have provided sexual services and tested positive for HIV. Everything was completely dressed and described as “manly” in appearance. Authorities believe that more than 100 men totaled to the event.
Police said they found the pornographic video on the cell phones of the three attendees.
Attack Since 1990, 95% of Malays were Malay Muslims, the first of its kind in Kelantan, a conservative nation ruled by the Islamic Party of Pan Malaysia.
“It’s too early to assess the full scope of their activities,” Mohd Yussof said. “The police will continue to monitor the movement of these gay groups because we fear they are becoming more active and brave.”
in Instagram Post, Sisters of LGBT Rights Groups (JFS), supported by a coalition of 31 non-governmental organizations, said the event was mischaracterized by the police and the media, leading to a threat to LGBTQ individuals.
JFS described the rally as a health outreach event that provides HIV-related information, condoms and voluntary testing. According to the post, the event began with a talk led by a medical professional at 8pm and ended by midnight. Approximately 20 participants remained waiting for the test results. No one offered or solicited sexual services.
The post also stated that attendees were not charged and that the event was not promoted on social media. Police claim to use drugs, but JFS said urine tests showed none of the arrested men who tested positive for narcotics.
The coalition called on police to correct their records.
Under Malaysian law, sodomy, same-sex relationships, and mutual dressing are criminal offences. The majority of Muslim countries, along with civil law, operate a dual legal system, applies to Muslims.
Malaysian authorities are increasingly cracking what they see as expressions and events that support same-sex relationships. According to JFS Amnesty International, LGBTQ content constituted almost half of all banned publications in Malaysia between 2020 and May 2025.
In 2023, Malaysian authorities closed the music festival after the 1975 British band frontman kissed male bandmates on stage and criticised the country’s anti-LGBTQ law. The band was later fined $2.6 million for breach of contract.
Five years ago, there were two women. Publicly canned In court after being convicted of trying to engage in lesbian sex.
Supporters say the Kelantern attack is part of a broader trend of police LGBTQ spaces under the guise of moral enforcement. They warn that the gathering of detectives not only undermine public health, but also puts the LGBTQ community at greater risk of violence and discrimination, thus incorrectly characterizing health events.
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
