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MINISTER in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Zulkifli Hasan has moved to clarify his recent remarks in Parliament on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, urging the public to seek accurate information through proper verification and reference to full, authoritative sources.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Zulkifli called on the public, including Members of Parliament, to practise tabayyun, or careful verification, in order to understand the issue in its correct and comprehensive context.
“I invite everyone, including Members of Parliament and the whole of society, to refer to and examine honestly the full written reply on this matter at [https://www.parlimen.gov.my/jawapan-lisan-dr.html?uweb=dr](https://www.parlimen.gov.my/jawapan-lisan-dr.html?uweb=dr).
“I stress that the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) rejects the normalisation of LGBT as it is contrary to religion, morality and societal values,” he said.
Zulkifli had earlier faced criticism following his reply in Parliament in which he said work-related stress could be one of the factors that may lead individuals to become involved with the LGBT community.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN–Rantau Panjang), who asked the Prime Minister to provide the latest data and statistics on LGBT-related trends in Malaysia, including percentage breakdowns, age groups, ethnic composition based on national studies or agency reports, and the main factors contributing to an increase in LGBT cases in the country.
Zulkifli said, however, that the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, or Jakim, does not specifically possess or maintain data and statistics on the LGBT community in Malaysia.
Separately, Zulkifli said the Malaysia Rahmah Nation Index, or IMNR, has the potential to act as a catalyst in shaping public thinking that is more rooted in compassion and humanitarian values.
He said the index, which was initiated and implemented by IKRAM Malaysia, could serve as a useful reference not only for the government but also for other stakeholders in assessing whether policies and practices are aligned with the concept of rahmah.
“Not only for the government, but also for stakeholders to assess the extent to which policies and practices are implemented in line with the concept of rahmah.
Perhaps this is what we are trying to do. Alhamdulillah, I congratulate IKRAM. This will become a catalyst for our efforts to shape and create public thinking that is based on rahmah, especially the thinking of Muslims that is compassionate and not ‘angry’,” he said.
“We need more new ideas to be mobilised. We need ideas that are comprehensive to implement change, and those ideas must be fresh,” he said when speaking at the presentation and press conference of the IMNR 2025 report on Wednesday.
Zulkifli noted that Malaysia is recognised as one of the best countries in the world in various aspects of Islamic administration and management, including halal certification, hajj management, Islamic finance, waqf and zakat.
However, he said the level of thinking and appreciation of Islam rooted in rahmah among the people has yet to reach the desired level.
He added that the country’s zakat management has improved significantly, including the use of technology such as artificial intelligence to enhance transparency and efficiency in distribution.
“Even today, if we look at zakat collection and distribution, we can see where the funds are channelled online and in real time. This is among the positive developments.
“However, there is one matter that, in my view, has yet to reach the desired level, namely the level of thinking among the people and Muslims that is advanced, progressive, dynamic, moderate, rooted in maqasid and rahmah,” he said.
Meanwhile, IKRAM president Badlishah Sham Baharin said the IMNR was developed as a reflective tool to understand how the public assesses the nation’s development efforts and the extent to which the values of rahmah are translated into daily life.
He said the index is not intended to judge or penalise any party, but instead serves as a mirror and a complement to government efforts in formulating and implementing national development policies.
“IMNR was created as a reflection instrument to help all parties understand realities on the ground, particularly from the people’s perspective, in line with the aspiration of building a Malaysia Rahmah Nation,” he said.
Badlishah said that in the post-normal era, data based on public feedback such as IMNR plays an important role in evaluating policy implementation, identifying gaps between planning and actual impact, and strengthening public trust through a more transparent and people-centred approach.
He added that reforms currently being pursued by the government would be more accurate and effective when supported by community feedback that reflects real conditions on the ground.
“We believe that public participation in providing feedback will help steer change so that it is more firmly grounded in actual needs and current realities,” he said.
Badlishah also stressed that the construction of a Rahmah Nation and a Madani Nation is a guiding framework that demands shared responsibility from all parties.
“It requires close cooperation between the government, civil society, the private sector and the people as a whole. We are committed to continuing to play a constructive, inclusive and ethical role in supporting nation-building efforts,” he said.
According to him, such sustained efforts are crucial in building a Malaysia that is more just, prosperous and sustainable, not only for the present generation but also for future generations.
He expressed hope that the presentation of the IMNR 2025 report would serve as an effective reflective tool and source of support for policymakers, contributing to more accurate actions for the well-being of the people and the country.
Badlishah said the overall score of 7.42 in IMNR 2025 represents an improvement compared with IMNR 2023 at 7.24, IMNR 2022 at 6.47 and IMNR 2021 at 6.09.
“Since its implementation in 2021, IMNR has undergone several improvement processes covering three main dimensions, namely politics, economy and society, involving 15 characteristics, 40 indicators and 120 assessment items.
“These improvements have made IMNR more comprehensive and holistic, in line with current developments and guided by the Madani framework, the 13th Malaysia Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
He added that the index was developed with the involvement of several government agencies, civil society organisations, members of civil society from various religions and ethnicities, as well as academics from diverse fields.
“This study used a two-stage cluster sampling method and was conducted from Sept 26 to Nov 15, 2025.
“It involved 3,030 respondents aged 18 and above with post-SPM education from various ethnic groups and backgrounds,” he said.
According to the findings, the three highest-scoring characteristics were Characteristic 6: Strong Family Institutions at 8.51, followed by Characteristic 5: A Happy, Moral and Caring Society at 8.22, and Characteristic 7: Harmonious Relations among Diverse Ethnic and Religious Communities at 8.04.
“The three lowest-scoring characteristics were Characteristic 9: Equitable Distribution of Wealth at 6.78, Characteristic 8: A Sustainable Economy at 6.94, and Characteristic 2: An Effective Governance System Based on Checks and Balances at 6.95,” he said.
The IMNR research report serves as a benchmark in assessing the extent to which national policies, implementation and practices align with the concept of rahmah, which emphasises humanitarian values, well-being and social harmony, while also measuring societal thinking rooted in higher purposes (maqasid) and rahmah in a more comprehensive manner. - January 29, 2026
