Johor to set up rehab centre for homosexuals

Johor to set up rehab centre for homosexuals

Fared Khalid, chairman of the state’s religious affairs committee, says the centre will be the first of its kind in the country.

Johor religious affairs committee chairman Fared Khalid says a new rehabilitation centre for persons with divergent religious beliefs should be operational by July next year. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA:
The Johor government plans to set up a rehabilitation centre for persons with divergent religious beliefs, as well as those in homosexual relationships.

Fared Khalid, chairman of the state’s religious affairs committee, said the rehabilitation centre for those practising same-sex relationships would be the first of its kind to be established in the country, Utusan Malaysia reported.

“The state is in the process of injecting capital to set up an office as well as dormitories for male and female residents.

“The centre is expected to be fully operational in July 2024,” he told the Johor state assembly in Kota Iskandar today, in response to a question from Abdul Aziz Talib (PN-Maharani).

Fared also said that from 2020 until November, a total of 2,845 individuals had registered with the state’s religious authorities to embrace Islam. He said 728 people registered in 2020, 688 in 2021, 796 in 2022, and 633 in 2023 as of last month.

“Our new brothers and sisters who registered in Johor comprise various ethnicities including Chinese, Indian, Iban, Bidayuh, Kadazan, Orang Asli, as well as foreigners from the Philippines and Vietnam,” he said.

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