In a joint statement, they called out the Kelantan police over the “accuracy and veracity” of the statements shared with the media on Wednesday in connection with the alleged “gay party”.
“We call on the police to correct the inaccurate statements immediately.
“Contrary to the allegation that the event was a ‘gay sex party’, it was actually a health event. It provided sexual health and HIV-related information, condoms, and voluntary testing to promote safer sexual health practices,” the NGOs and doctors said.
They said the event, which began at 8pm, included talks by healthcare providers, including doctors. It was to have ended by midnight, but about 20 attendees were still at the event awaiting test results.
“None of them were at the event to provide sexual services. The attendees were at the event to seek sexual health information and tests,” they said.
Among the signatories to the statement were Justice for Sisters, Centre for Independent Journalism, Amnesty International Malaysia, Women’s Aid Organisation, All Women’s Action Society, Suara Rakyat Malaysia, Parti Sosialis Malaysia, Freedom Film Network, other civil society organisations, and several doctors, including specialists.
They were referring to reports quoting Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat as saying that more than 20 men were arrested at a bungalow in Kota Bharu, allegedly for attending a “gay party”.
The groups said the case drew quick discriminatory statements against the LGBTQ community.
“The police also alleged that the attendees paid a fee to attend the event. This is inaccurate. No payment was needed from the attendees to participate in the event.
“It was a free health event to increase access to health services among marginalised populations,” they said, adding that the attendees were fully clothed, as mentioned by the police, because it was a health event and not a “sex party”.
They also denied that the event was promoted on social media as claimed by police.
They said that following the incident, many LGBTQ people were afraid to seek health services or attend such events in the future.
Separately, the Malaysian AIDS Council and Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy also criticised police over the misinformation on the event, which they said was supported by the health ministry.