Speaking to an audience at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn Univerisity on Thursday, Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday said his country cannot accept LGBT rights such as same-sex marriage, dismissing them as “western” values, Agence-France Presse reports. The statement came amid rising criticism against opposition leader Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who said that the recent earthquake that hit Palu, Indonesia was God’s punishment for the immoral activities committed by the LGBT community there. Malaysia is accused of cracking down on LGBT people in the country, as hopes that Mahathir’s new government would be more inclusive have stuttered following a series of events that have dismayed the LGBT community and their allies, according to CNN.