Malaysian minister’s claim of ‘Yolo’ mindset driving HIV cases draws ridicule
Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni says the ‘you only live once’ mindset encourages individuals ‘to try something new’
The patterns behind HIV infections in Malaysia have changed over the past three decades, according to the health ministry, with these cases typically caused by sexual transmission, particularly among ‘men who have sex with men’ (MSM), compared with intravenous drug use (IDU) previously.
Speaking to the Senate, Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni said statistics showed men were disproportionately at risk of HIV, with 90 per cent of cases in Malaysia last year involving them and the overwhelming majority of new infections occurring among the 20 to 39 age group.
This, he said, was despite Malaysia being a Muslim-majority country with a largely conservative society where same-sex relations remained illegal.
“The cause is – I feel – is a generational issue driven by this Yolo, you only live once, the courage to try something new as well as grooming by individuals who want to engage in unnatural activities without considering the consequences,” Lukanisman said.
Without citing any evidence, he alleged Malaysia was exposed to social media platforms that pushed “waves of global campaign” to normalise homosexuality.