The Immigration Department is gathering information from the police and enforcement agencies to deny entry to foreign participants of a gay event scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur later this month.
Director-general, Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali said this was to ensure that individuals entering Malaysia for the event would be served with the Not To Land (NTL) notice under Section 8 of the Immigration Act 1559/63.
“The government has decided to ban the event and the Immigration (Department) has been instructed to restrict any individual or organiser from entering the country.
Bernama
“I also do not understand those who question the Immigration about prohibiting individuals involved in the event from coming to Malaysia as it (the gay event) is against our country’s culture and this is not just about Islam, but (the event) is too abnormal to us (in Malaysia),” Mustafar told reporters yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Friday said the Malaysian Government would not allow any gay event or party which was reportedly planned to be held in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 30.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said he had directed the police not to approve the permit for the event, even though the organiser had yet to apply for a permit.
It was reported that the party was being held to promote the ‘White Party Bangkok’, the largest annual gay gathering event in Asia, scheduled for Dec 28 in Thailand.
Yesterday, Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai had said immigration authorities should not mix up those entering the country for the beer festival and gay party.
Meanwhile, Mustafar said employers should not be afraid or worried to apply for foreign workers to work in their company because the department was always ready to approve them if they complied with existing rules.
He said currently, there were 1.72 million registered foreign workers in the country and he believed the number was sufficient to meet employer demands.
“Besides, employers are advised not to apply for foreign workers through ‘middlemen’ but instead, go directly through the Immigration Department to avoid being cheated and charged high fees by them (middlemen). We will also take stern action against ‘middlemen’,” he added.”
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) stands firm on its decision to ban the Better Beer Festival despite the assurance given by the organiser that security measures will be put in place.
Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said DBKL would not reconsider the application because the festival is against the law as it involves the sale of liquor in an open area.
“They can hold (the festival) it in a hotel, pub or restaurant. I don’t care. In open space, it will not be allowed,” Adnan told reporters today.
Bernama
Adnan stressed that the safety aspects should be placed under the credibility and responsibility of the police force who clearly do not support the festival as well.
“They (the organiser) said it is safe and nothing bad will happen but public safety is the responsibility of the government,” he added.
The Better Beer Festival organiser had urged DBKL to reconsider its application saying that it would put security measures in place such as having strict identification and security checks at all entry points to the enclosed areas.
It also plans to have multiple security personnel, Publika auxiliary police and Malaysian Red Crescent members to ensure safety and security at the event.
The organiser also claimed to have held the craft beer festival annually for the past five years without any “untoward incidents” during or after the event.
The Better Beer Festival 2017 was planned for Oct 6-7 at Publika Shopping Gallery in Kuala Lumpur.
On Sept 18, DBKL said it had rejected the organiser’s application for a permit to hold the event on Aug 28.
