LONDON, June 18 — Western countries are often seen forcing other nations to accept what they practised, for example, pertaining to the ideology of communism, capitalism, socialism and the lifestyle of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the LGBT lifestyle was a shift in the Westerners’ moral values and they wanted to force that lifestyle on other countries.

"We have our own culture and we cannot accept anything that contradicts our culture, our traditions, and our religion.

"In addition, Westerners always talk about freedom. That means we are free to reject practices that are unsuitable for us,” he told a media conference here yesterday before concluding his three-day working visit to the United Kingdom.

Dr Mahathir said this when asked whether the issues of LGBT brought up during the question-and-answer session after his speech at the Cambridge Union on Sunday showed that there was still pressure for Malaysia to accept the LGBT lifestyle.

"That’s how they exert their pressure and they managed to influence some Malaysians, including some Muslims and Malays who think that one of the manifestations of freedom is the right to accept what is practiced in the West.

"For example, in the West, (the importance of) marriage institution is being disregarded and family institution is no longer accepted. Couples can live together unmarried.

"That’s their way, we don’t have to agree to it. We have our own value that we hold on to and must be proud of (the value of our lives). Don’t simply follow the West,” he said.

During his three-day working visit to the UK, Dr Mahathir was accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman. — Bernama