Although I believe that I am a liberal-moderate on a whole range of issues, I would readily admit that I am a conservative with regard to the gay/homosexual issues in Malaysia.

The writer went through great details pointing out that homosexuality has always been part of Muslim societies. He cited poems of the Sufi poet Sa'adi, and Hikayat Panji Semerang . However, from my experience, I've never heard of anyone in Muslim Malaysian in the first place denying the existence of homosexuals in the past/present/future in Muslim societies.

Still, I dare say this, in Islam, a homosexuality act is abhorred not to mention sinful. In fact, one of the biggest sins possible for a Muslim to commit in Islam is a homosexual act and there are no ifs or buts about that!

It is a great problem for conservative Muslims, like myself, to recognise gay and lesbian organisations (especially if they are Muslim homosexuals). It is not that we like to discriminate fellow human beings, but because these organisations overwhelmingly advocate that homosexuality is acceptable. It's like asking me, a conservative Muslim Malay, to recognise organisations that advocate the acts of robbery and murders.

I am by no means advocating bashing and beating up gays on the street but as a matter of Islamic principal cannot recognise gay and lesbian organisations as an integral or essential part of a Muslim society no matter how prevalent this behaviour is. Frankly, the accounts by Sa'adi and in Hikayat Panji Semerang mean very little to me.

The writer also pointed out that "Abdelwahab Bouhdiba" has argued in his book Sexuality in Islam , the religion of Islam views the sexual act itself as inherently pure and good - indeed commendable.While it is gracious of the writer to point this out, the overwhelming majority of Muslim theologians around the world would say in one voice that "the inherently pure and commendable sexual act" does not include homosexual acts. Muslims agree that Allah is all-merciful. But in Islam the act of repentance is also very crucial.

For example, if a believing Muslim drinks alcohol, it is his responsibility to ask for repentance to Allah before he dies. A homosexual Muslim who commits homosexual acts is also faced with the same responsibility. Only after repentance would the Muslim bear the fruit of Allah's mercifulness.

Like it or not, in Islam, there is Hell and there is Heaven just as there is such a thing that homosexuality is a big sin. One is tempted to argue that the Muslim homosexuals commit homosexual acts in their private lives, therefore, it is really not the business of others.

However, in this sense, the western idea of individual freedom is not applicable in an Islamic society. This is because in Islam there is a very explicit reference that when a society's morals have deteriorated, God will send down Bala to the community.

(In Islam, Bala is a punishment from God that would not only be inflicted on the homosexuals but also others who are innocent.)

Like it or not, in Islam, homosexual acts have a direct/indirect effect on the rest of the community.

I am well aware that although Malaysia has a Muslim-majority population, there are many other beliefs in our beloved multi-racial country. I am compelled to argue about homosexuality in Islamic terms because the writer makes his arguments about homosexuality largely in the context of Islamic society and beliefs.

The writer began his article by stating his disappointment that Malaysia played a 'leading' role in blocking the participation of gay and lesbian organisations in the United Nations (UN) Conference on Aids.

He further suggested that this could possibly be due to the fact that Malaysia was then chair of the OIC hence she was compelled to take a hard-line stance. To this I would like to say two points.

Firstly, as the writer correctly pointed out, today the majority of new HIV infection cases occur among heterosexuals. Therefore HIV affects everyone equally. Why should gay and lesbian organisations participate in the United Nations (UN) Conference on Aids when we all know that HIV infection these days have little or no bearing on one's sexual orientation?

Secondly, I simply have to say that the writer has no concrete evidence whatsoever to suggest that other OIC members swayed Malaysia when she blocked the participation of gay and lesbian organisations.

Perhaps, even if Malaysia were not the chair of OIC, she would have taken the same stance. It is better not to say much when there is little proof.

Having said all these, I would like to thank the writer for his thought-provoking articles.