Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor has likened LGBT activism to fighting for "freedom for animals".

Wan Salim said while LGBT people are entitled to rights provided for under the law to all Malaysians, calls to permit same-sex marriages or unnatural sex must be opposed.

"What they are really fighting for is freedom for animals, because freedom of man is limited by religion and customs," he was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

"There is no absolute freedom in this world, even in biology there are limits," he added.

Wan Salim's comments come after portraits of LGBT activists Nisha Ayub and Pang Khee Teik posing with the Malaysian flag were removed from photographer Mooreyameen Mohamad's “Stripes and Strokes” exhibition at the George Town Festival on Tuesday.

The photos were removed after complaints from the Prime Minister's Office.

M inister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa, who is in charge of religious affairs, said the photos were removed in line with his department's stand on LGBT issues.

In a statement issued today, Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria praised Mujahid’s move to order the removal of the portraits, saying LGBT was “an act forbidden by God”.

Mujahid has had a hard time performing a balancing act as conservatives have demanded that he take tougher action against the LGBT community while LGBT activists, including Nisha, have in turn criticised him for not standing up for the rights of minorities.

Mujahid, who is also Amanah's Parit Buntar MP, had previously said that the LGBT culture should not be promoted but at the same time, the rights of LGBT persons as citizens should be respected.

However, both sides have taken issue with Mujahid’s statement for not going far enough.

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