Politicians with over-active imaginations are distorting reality to present wild scenarios to justify the lack of basic rights in Malaysia such as freedom of expression, said activist Marina Mahathir.
"This is the way things are distorted. 'Oh if you have freedom of expression that means people can walk around in bikinis'.
"Excuse me, but who has said they want to walk around in bikinis? You go to New York City or London do you see people walking the streets in bikinis? No they don't!
"Let's stop imagining this nonsense, and talk about real life, where people just need to live an everyday life," she told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
Marina began her vitriolic comments after being asked on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's remarks on June 30, that Malaysians should not be too extreme as to become terrorists, nor too open that they hold gay parades.
"Who is having gay parades? Where is this coming from? Nobody is calling for gay parades; nobody is even calling for gay marriage in this country.
"You don't have basic rights. Never mind basic rights for the gay community, but (there is no) basic right for everyone to even speak. [...] Let's talk about basic rights first, don't start speculating," she said.
Malaysia currently ranks 103rd out of 133 countries for personal rights according to the 2015 Social Progress Index by the Social Progress Imperative.
Marina Mahathir
The same index also placed Malaysia in the 110th spot for racial, religious, sexual tolerance and inclusiveness.
Marina, who is a Sisters in Islam board member, said repression in the country, is due to a global phenomenon of growing conservatism.
"People are afraid of change so they retreat into what they think is familiar.
"Unfortunately they think the only way to hold that familiarity is by being more repressive and having more punishments," she said.
Instead, Marina said government should ensure that people have strong faith, but also stressed that faith cannot be forced onto someone.
She also warned against man-made religious laws, which she said is influenced by human bias, and can therefore be unjust.
"Religion came to us to give us a better life, to make everyone feel a part, and the only way to do it is to be just," she said.
- M'kini
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