No, Kelantan is not the state with the most “immoral practices” in Malaysia, as it only recorded 2.48% of HIV cases in Malaysia.
The state’s deputy Menteri Besar, Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan, said that Kelantan only recorded 93 HIV cases in 2023, a far cry from the number of recorded cases in Selangor.
He said the statistics were based on data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) for 2023, which also showed Selangor with the highest number of infections at 1,062 cases, followed by Kuala Lumpur (357), Sabah (320), Penang (256), and Sarawak (248).
“This fact clearly refutes wild claims that attempt to portray Kelantan as the state most severely affected by the immoral practices.”
Fadzli added that Kelantan is always serious about protecting the community from moral corruption by implementing Islamic-based policies, including the Syariah Criminal Code Enactment (I) 2019, as an effort to prevent the spread of unhealthy practices.
Meanwhile, Fadzli said that statistics also show that the pattern of HIV infection in Malaysia has changed over the past three decades.
“In 1990, 61 percent of cases were caused by intravenous drug use (IVDU).”
“However, by 2024, 64 percent of cases involved same-sex relationships, followed by heterosexual relationships (32%) and IVDU only accounted for 3%.”
For illustration purposes only
Fadzly added that the Syariah laws are not a barrier, but rather a protector of one’s well-being.
“We need to be brave enough to defend the truth even when faced with pressure,” Fadzly said during the DUN Kelantan Meeting session yesterday (July 21), as reported by Sinar Harian.
Earlier, an alleged gay party was held in the state, as PDRM reported that multiple condoms and HIV medications were found at the scene. Three men were also arrested for possessing indecent materials in their mobile phones, and the Malaysian AIDS Council has since clarified that the event was merely an HIV outreach program.
However, keep in mind that the Ministry of Health recently revealed that the number of HIV cases showed an upward trend among the youth.
Also read: Chinese Man Allegedly Poses as a Woman & Has Sex With Over 1,600 Men, Many Victims Infected With HIV
