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After ministry's post harassment, Numan offered jobs abroad
Published:  Jul 21, 2018 11:43 AM
Updated: Jul 22, 2018 11:14 AM

Just weeks after being harassed over his apparent hire as a press secretary in the Youth and Sports Ministry, activist Numan Afifi seems to have moved on to greener pastures with job offers from abroad.

“Arrived in London; woke up to this wonderful news about an offer from a Boston-based architecture nonprofit that promotes justice and human dignity.

“Last Monday, I got an offer from Unicef too. Decisions, decisions … “ he tweeted on Thursday.

Numan said he has yet to decide on his next move and will enjoy his time in London.

He had travelled overseas after groups attacked him on social media for being listed on the ministry's website as minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman's press secretary.

Critics had complained that it was inappropriate for a "champion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) causes" to be hired by the government.

The activist drew fire last year for organising a buka puasa event for the gender rights group Pelangi.

On July 9, he said “backlash and threats from opposition propagandists” had reached a point where it was impossible to continue assisting Syed Saddiq.

“I will be going abroad in the near future to determine my next move,” Numan had said.

Both Numan and Syed Saddiq maintain the former was only helping out as his aide in the interim while the minister was putting his team together.

The criticism drew condemnation from various quarters, including the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, politicians such as DAP's Klang MP Charles Santiago, and civil rights groups such as Hakam.

This week, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the LGBT community cannot be discriminated against as citizens of the country, but advised them to refrain from challenging the country's norms.

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