Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla asked the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Monday to not to finance lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community programs in the country.

Kalla said the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) recently verified a report that the UN body had prepared funds worth US$8 million to support LGBT campaigns in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia.

Kalla said the UNDP had confirmed to Bappenas that the funds were allocated for a program in Thailand and not Indonesia. "Therefore, we have asked them [UNDP Indonesia] to not carry out the program here," Kalla said on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

The Vice President said there were no UNDP funds specifically for the LGBT community in Indonesia and that any monetary support channeled to them would most likely come from other non-governmental organizations.

Kalla has previously stated his opposition to LGBT campaigns in Indonesia, which he says are not in accordance with the current social values of the nation.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Panjaitan said that the LGBT community had a right to protection as they were also citizens, and expressed regret that they had been the victims of abuse. Luhut urged the public to restrain themselves and not be prejudiced toward the LGBT community. (liz/dan)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/15/kalla-requests-undp-not-fund-lgbt-groups.html