Male homosexuality, considered against the order of nature, is illegal in Malaysia but lawyers say female homosexuality is technically permissible as there are no provisions for it under the law.

The Fatwa Council does not have jurisdiction in civil law, but the ruling appears to be an attempt to push female homosexuality towards illegality.

Islam is the official religion of Malaysia, where more than 60 per cent of its 27 million people are Muslim Malays who practice a conservative brand of the religion.

Until now, there was never a clear pronouncement on the status of lesbians in Islamic law (in South-East Asia). Given the proximity of Malaysia to Singapore, the influence is likely to spread to here and other South-East Asian countries.

However, we respectfully disagree with this pronouncement on two grounds: firstly, lesbianism is not an imitation of masculinity. Yes, some members of the community do dress in a masculine fashion, or behave as such. But not all. Loving another woman is not an expression of this masculinity, it simply is a manifestation of an innate trait.

Secondly, there are alternative views within Islam on the issue of homosexuality. A council of moderate Muslim scholars in Jakarta concluded that homosexuals and homosexuality are natural and created by God. (For news report, see here). For years, there have been Muslim people speaking up about their sexuality and exploring the junction between their faith and sexuality, ultimately reconciling the two.

We sincerely hope the government of Malaysia does not adopt this fatwa as law.