“Our objective is to return to our roots and promote dialogue between us while recognising our respective beliefs, cultures and identities so as to widen mutual love,” Pelangi Campaign said in a statement today to FMT.
Pelangi Campaign spokesman told FMT the breaking-of-fast event formed part of the programme to welcome “Pride”, a global experience to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, which included discourses, film screenings and the breaking-of-fast event called “Big Gay Iftar”.
According to the Pelangi statement, the global event was to commemorate the 49 LGBT individuals who were killed by an IS terrorist Omar Mateen in a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in the United States in June 2016.
“Only in this way can we demonstrate that terrorists cannot break our humanity and brotherhood,” it added.
The statement also said the diversity of food in Malaysia was a reflection of the diversity of humankind.
“Although different, all are celebrated by everyone,” it said.
The “Iftar Gay” event was criticised by some quarters, including preacher Hassan Mahmud Al-Hafiz, who accused the organiser of belittling Allah’s laws.
“People observing the fast must follow all of Allah’s commands and the fast encompasses all our actions.
“Now, here is a group which rejects Allah’s laws but accepts other laws. This must not be allowed in Islam,” Sinar Harian quoted Hassan as saying.