KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 ― George Town Festival director Joe Sidek said he chose to lose the battle when he made the decision to remove the photographs of LGBT activists Nisha Ayub and Pang Khee Teik at the festival's Stripes and Strokes exhibition in Penang.

The BBC reported that Joe was “directed” to take the pictures out but he was not “threatened” for an exhibition he claimed was to showcase “Malaysian pride and not gay pride”.

“I don't approve of censorship but I understand why it had to be done,” he reportedly said but was forced to look at the bigger picture and that fighting this demand would trigger more problems in the future.

“So I chose to lose this battle,” he reportedly said, adding that he had been criticised for his decision.

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Minister in Prime Minister's Department in charge of Islamic religious affairs Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa had admitted he was the one who had instructed the removal of the two photographs, creating an uproar on social media.

Mujahid had defended his stance, saying that his intentions were to “protect” Nisha and Pang from backlash as he said he received “complaints” from some members of the public.

The exhibition featured portraits of Malaysians from all walks of life posing with the Jalur Gemilang to commemorate 60 years of Malaysian independence.

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Nisha is a transgender activist who had won many awards for her work including the US Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award in 2016 while Pang is the co-founder of Seksualiti Merdeka ― an annual sexuality rights festival.

Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, daughter of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also requested her photograph to be taken down in response and protest to Mujahid's demands.