German news agency Deutsche Welle is reporting that our Tourism minister, Mohammaddin bin Ketapi told a room full of journalists (so, essentially, planet Earth) that Malaysia does not have “anything like” LGBTQ+ individuals in our fair country. His comment came after one of the press ventured to ask at the ITB Berlin tourism expo whether or not Malaysia was safe for gay and Jewish travelers. Having feebly attempted to avoid the question, when pressed further over attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community the minister replied:”I don’t think we have anything like that in our country.” Not only did his comment leave room for every individual with a modicum of common sense wondering where his head was at, it did not sit well in the eyes of the rest of the more progressive international audience, who had just listened to the Minister wax lyrical about Malaysia’s welcoming culture.