6 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Opposition MP seeks clarification over conflicting accounts of Kemumim raid
KUALA LUMPUR: An opposition Member of Parliament has urged the Health Ministry to clarify details surrounding the recent raid on a gathering in Kemumin, Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan last month.
Datuk Ahmad Saad (PN–Pokok Sena) described the conflicting statements from the ministry and the police regarding the incident as puzzling.
"I would like the ministry to respond regarding the recent arrests at what has been described as a gay party, as the statements issued about the event are contradictory, which is rather strange.
"There appears to be a conflict between the Health Ministry and the police. In other words, who is telling the truth – or who is not?
"Kelantan police have confirmed that there was no involvement from non-governmental organisations, health clinics, or the Health Ministry at the event. In fact, no representatives from any NGOs or ministry agencies were present," he said during the debate on the 2023 Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) in the Dewan Rakyat today.
On July 17, it was reported that police had foiled a secret gathering involving more than 100 gay men in Pengkalan Chepa, believed to be on the verge of escalating into immoral activities.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said the event was held at a rented bungalow in Kemumin in mid-June, following a tip-off from the public about a planned closed-door gathering of a gay group in Kota Baru.
However, on July 22, the Kelantan Health Department issued a statement clarifying that the event was, in fact, an HIV awareness programme.
The programme was organised by Sahabat, a non-governmental organisation operating under the guidance of the Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF).
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said on X that collaboration between the ministry, state health departments, and NGOs was vital in reaching high-risk populations, to raise awareness about prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.
However, on July 23, Yusoff reiterated in a statement that the police stood by their original assessment that the gathering was not a health-related event but a social gathering involving members of the gay community.
He said investigations found no evidence that the invitations referred to any official collaboration or organisation by NGOs, health clinics, or the Health Ministry.
