Archive · 30 Jan 2026
Malaysian Minister Faces Backlash Over LGBTQA+ Remarks
A minister in Malaysia named Zulkifli Hasan made some comments about the LGBTQA+ community that caused a lot of controversy.
He said that work-related stress and other things might make people part of the LGBTQA+ community.
This was based on a study from 2017.
Many people on the internet were upset with his comments.
The minister later said his words were misunderstood.
Malaysia doesn't have a lot of official information about how many LGBTQA+ people live there.
Malaysian minister Zulkifli Hasan made controversial remarks about the LGBTQA+ community, linking work-related stress to LGBT-related behaviour.
The remarks were based on a 2017 study by Sulaiman et al., which suggested that various factors may influence LGBT-related behaviour.
The minister stated that Malaysia lacks comprehensive data on the LGBTQA+ population.
Videos of his remarks circulated widely on social media, drawing sharp criticism.
The minister claimed his words were misunderstood and taken out of context.
- Who
- Zulkifli Hasan, a Malaysian minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs)
- What
- Controversial remarks about the LGBTQA+ community and work-related stress
- When
- The remarks were made in a reply to Parliament, with videos circulating on social media subsequently
- Where
- Malaysia
- Why
- The minister cited a 2017 study suggesting that work-related stress and other factors may influence LGBT-related behaviour, leading to widespread criticism
- Minister
- Zulkifli Hasan
- Department
- Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs)
- Study Cited
- 2017 study by Sulaiman et al.
- Study Findings
- Work-related stress and other factors may influence LGBT-related behaviour
- Official Data
- Limited comprehensive data on LGBT population in Malaysia
- Backlash
- Widespread criticism on social media