Malaysian authorities on Thursday ordered gay rights activists to scrap an annual festival that had drawn fire from conservative politicians and religious leaders, with officials saying the event “threatens national security.”

The festival, which began in 2008 and tries to promote greater tolerance for gay Malaysians, was set to begin in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, in a few days. The national news agency, Bernama, reported that the festival had drawn a stream of complaints, including one from Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who said it ran counter to traditions in Malaysia, a nation with a Muslim majority.

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