Everyone is protected by the law and there is no room for harassment and threats against anyone regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. In upholding such principles, Malaysian Bar president Salim Bashir said it welcomed the call by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for tougher laws in Asean countries to act against hate speech in his address at the first Asean Digital Ministers’ Meeting. He said the Malaysian Bar welcomed the statement, which came shortly after the recent controversial remarks by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Ahmad Marzuk Shaary. “He had indicated that the government does not rule out the possibility of amending the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) to mete out harsher punishments on lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT).