PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) has censured a purported revamp of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department’s (Jakim) outreach (Mukhayyam) programme to rehabilitate LGBT persons.

Referring to a recent report by news portal SAYS, which recounted the testimony of former Mukhayyam attendees about how members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community were being “converted” to the “right path”, MAC said the programme had deviated from its original aim.

In a statement, MAC said the Mukhayyam, a three-day camp for LGBTs reportedly held eight times a year by Jakim, was initially created to “provide a safe, non-judgmental space” to the transgender community.

Furthermore, it said this was only meant to be a place to get religious exposure and for transgenders to receive assistance from Jakim and other religious authorities to “improve their livelihood through job opportunities”. Read more via FMT