KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The Kelantan state health department (JKNK) has made an about-turn and now taken ownership of a community HIV programme, after initially attempting to distance itself from it.
Kelantan state health director Dr Zaini Hussin explained that the HIV outreach programme in Kota Bharu last month – which was raided by police based on suspicion of being an “LGBT” event – was actually organised by Persatuan Perantaraan Pesakit Kelantan (Sahabat).
Sahabat is a health non-governmental organisation (NGO) that operates under the Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF).
“For your information, Sahabat is a strategic partner to JKNK and has worked with us since 2006 on health education programmes and field outreach that target high-risk groups, including drug addicts who use needle injections and men who have sex with men (MSM),” Dr Zaini said in a statement posted by Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad on X yesterday.
“These efforts focus on raising awareness about HIV infection, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and Hepatitis C.”
He added that cooperation between the Ministry of Health (MOH), state health departments, and health NGOs is crucial to reach out to high-risk populations to increase their knowledge on prevention strategies, the importance of early diagnosis, as well as early treatment to prevent serious complications.
“This health education is also important to protect close contacts like one’s wife and children, who are at risk of HIV infection.”
Harian Metro reported Dr Zaini as saying in Kota Bharu last Sunday that the HIV outreach programme was organised by an NGO and that Kota Jembal health officers “were merely invited to give a speech.”
Dr Zaini’s statement yesterday was not posted on JKNK or the MOH’s Facebook pages.
In a July 17 press conference that was widely covered with negative headlines like “pesta gay”, Kelantan state police chief Mohd Yusoff Mamat said police broke up a so-called “gay” party at a bungalow in Kota Bharu last month that was believed to have been attended by more than 100 men.
Police seized condoms and HIV medications that were believed to be “preparation” for sexual intercourse, even though the authorities found no evidence of sexual activity during the raid and that everyone was fully clothed.
Three individuals were charged with possession of pornography after police found lewd videos on their mobile phones.
In a statement one day after the police’s press conference, 31 civil society groups and individuals, led by transgender rights group Justice for Sisters (JFS), corrected the police and said the June 17 programme was actually a health event.
“In keeping with the goals of the event, it provided sexual health and HIV-related information, condoms, and voluntary testing to promote safer sexual health practices.”
Despite clarification, politicians continue to repeat the police’s version of events about the Kota Bharu programme being a “gay party”.
Johor PAS questioned Sunday if reports of the “gay party” were intended to malign the state of Kelantan that is under a PAS state government.
The Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) took more than a month to issue a statement on July 18 to clarify its June 17 field outreach session in Kota Bharu under the MOH’s Differentiated HIV Services for Key Populations (DHSKP) model.
Even then, MAC did not explain that it was referring to the event raided by police. MAC’s statement was titled “Reaching key populations is the foundation of high-impact HIV prevention”, compared to JFS’ more clearly worded statement titled “The police must correct misinformation related to the alleged ‘gay party’.”
A day later, MAF issued a press release about its black-tie Kuching Gala 2025 event in Kuching, Sarawak, that raised RM3.5 million for the Teratak Kasih Tok Nan (TKTN) programme. TKTN provides temporary shelter, mental health support, and treatment navigation for people living with HIV.
“What we’ve witnessed tonight is more than generosity—it’s a reaffirmation of our shared resolve to ensure no one is left behind,” said MAF trustee Dr Raja Iskandar Shah Raja Azwa.
