Clooney in late March led calls for a boycott of nine hotels owned by Brunei because of plans by the South-east Asian country to impose the death penalty — including by stoning — for gay sex or adultery as it rolled out further Islamic laws. — Reuters pic

PUTRAJAYA, May 14 — Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Marzuki Yahya today sought to correct the viewpoints of popular Hollywood actor George Clooney, pointing out that Malaysia does not kill, and will not resort to killing sexual minorities.

He said that though such lifestyles deviate from Islam, the government would not impose such a punishment on the group.

"No, I feel we have to hold on to our principles as a sovereign nation. An Islamic nation. But we do not at all support such a thing.

"So I think, in this matter, we will take a stand as Malaysia, a country that holds on to the principles of constitutional monarchy, with Islam being the official religion.

"Therefore, things which oppose the norms of religion, we will definitely oppose," Marzuki said when met at Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia's (PPBM) breaking of fast event at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here.

"Yes, better for him to be aware of what he says," Marzuki said, when asked if he is correcting Clooney's remark.

Earlier, the US actor and producer had in an interview on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he said that the hotels boycott that forced the Sultan of Brunei to back down from imposing the death penalty for homosexuality will serve as warning to other countries considering the same legislation.

The Hollywood A-lister celebrity singled out Malaysia and Indonesia as among countries purportedly considering such laws.

Clooney earlier said that while shaming was ineffective from deterring countries from pushing such laws, going after their finances and business ties have now been shown to work in forcing them to reconsider.

“[...] And more important is the reason for this is this is something that is manageable, because it sends a warning shot over to countries like Indonesia and Malaysia who also are considering these laws, that the business people, the big banks , those guys are going to say ‘don’t even get into that business, so that’s the reason you do it,” Clooney said.

Brunei controversially announced on April 3 that it was imposing death by stoning for homosexuals as part of the country’s Shariah laws.

This triggered an international outcry and boycott of hotels owned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah around the world, leading to the Brunei ruler to announce a moratorium on the penalty this month.

Malaysia does not have laws against homosexuality per se but criminalises unnatural sex in its Penal Code.

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