GAY MALAYSIA
Due to lingering conservative laws from
British colonial rule and Islamic fundamentalism homosexuality
in Malaysia is still illegal. The Malaysian Penal Code states
that sodomy is punishable by incarceration but in the past this
law has been scarcely enforced. Nevertheless, in recent years
former deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was convicted for
committing homosexual acts, a trumped-up, politically motivated
charge that was later reversed by Malaysia's high court.
Although Malaysian people are in general very friendly and warm
Malaysian society is not very tolerant of gays. Gay life
up-country is therefore still largely underground but larger
cities might have a surprisingly lively gay scene with numerous
bars, clubs and even gay saunas. Malaysia's population
consists of Malays, Chinese, Indians and
some other indigenous people. It totals just over 23
million people, spread over the southern peninsula and the
northern one-third of the island of Borneo, officially known as
East Malaysia.
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Yves and friend visiting KL, Malyasia |
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Kuala Lumpur
International Airport.
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KUALA LUMPUR
Kuala Lumpur is the Malyasian capital with a population of
about 1.5 million people. Kuala Lumpur, also known as KL, is a
small but modern city that, during weekends even at night, is
notorious for its huge traffic congestions that feel out of
proportion to the city's size. These nightly traffic jams are
the consequence of the many youths that head out to party in the
capital. During the day there are numerous shopping malls where
gay men cruise and at night there are several gay bars, clubs
and discos.
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Suria shopping mall, Kuala Lumpur (Malyasia) |
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Shopping malls are
popular cruising spots with Malaysian gays.
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Blue Boy 50
Jalan Sultan Ismail, Bukit
Bintang.
Gay bar and disco with trendy music. Gets
really busy in the later hours, especially during the
weekends when it is extremely crammed. Mixed clientele of
local Malays, Chinese, Indians and some expat Caucasians.
Liquid
Mezzanine, Jalan Hang Kasturi.
Mixed disco with trendy music, including
house, located on the second floor of a building complex
that comprises the Odeon cinema. Busiest for gays on
Wednesdays and weekends, when i it usually packed. Crowd is
a mix of fashionable Chinese, expats and foreigners.
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