Malaysian AIDS Council confirms MOH-backed outreach session in Kota Bharu as Kelantan cops chastised over ‘gay sex party' accusation
After Kelantan police claimed that the raid was against an alleged 'gay sex party', MAC said the session was in collaboration with Kota Jembal Health Clinic and part of a strategic approach introduced by the Health Ministry.
'We strongly urge that programmes such as this not be misrepresented or unnecessarily politicised, as such actions may disrupt collective efforts to tackle HIV in Malaysia.
'Instead, community-based approaches like DHSKP should receive broad support as a proven and effective strategy to end AIDS by 2030,' it said in a statement.
MAC said the session was held from 8pm to 2am and had reached over 70 high-risk individuals, with services scheduled outside office hours to improve accessibility.
It had included information on HIV transmission risks, prevention, and the benefits of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment under the Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) principle.
Participants underwent confidential Community-Based Testing for HIV, with each screening taking 10 to 15 minutes, followed by counselling for those with reactive results.
Brief counselling was provided by medical officers and clients were referred to the clinic for further follow-up.
'DHSKP emphasises tailored service delivery that meets the specific needs of target populations, free from stigma, and carried out through collaboration between public healthcare facilities and community organisations.
'It covers screening, counselling, treatment, and support, and aims to close the gap in access to healthcare while improving the effectiveness of HIV prevention and treatment,' it said.
This comes as a coalition of civil society groups had also urged Kelantan police to revise their statement on a June 2025 raid of an alleged 'gay sex party' here, which they clarified was in fact a health outreach event.
The groups, led by transgender rights advocacy group Justice for Sisters, said media reports following the raid resulted in harmful and stigmatising remarks that have intensified fear among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals seeking health services.
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Next week (Monday): In the final part of this series, Bernama seeks feedback from experts and the Ministry of Health Malaysia regarding the immediate actions and measures taken to address the issue of childhood obesity in the country, including from the perspective of regulations and specific legislation. — Bernama
