Malaysia, which outlaws gay sex, blocks access to Grindr and Blued

Malaysia has blocked access to the gay hook-up apps Grindr and Blued, as authorities step up scrutiny of queer platforms and consider further legal measures to curb their presence in the country.

In a written parliamentary reply, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil confirmed that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has restricted access to the websites and is examining legislative options to address what it describes as violations of domestic law.

The MCMC, Malaysia’s internet regulator, “is examining several legislative measures to curb these applications”, Fahmi said. 

App stores

He added that the commission may engage with platform operators such as Google and Apple, which operate the Google Play Store and Apple App Store globally, should further action be required.

“This includes content or application functions that spread lewd or immoral material, exploitation, abuse, scams, exploitation of children or threats to public safety”, he said. 

Authorities could request the removal of specific content, restrict access within Malaysia, or refer cases to enforcement agencies, including the police.

However, Fahmi noted that the MCMC has not received formal requests to remove the mobile versions of Grindr or Blued from app stores. Control over listings on Google Play and Apple’s App Store is subject to the policies of those companies, particularly as both applications are owned and operated by foreign entities outside Malaysian jurisdiction.

The parliamentary reply came in response to a question from a lawmaker from the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, who asked whether the regulator would work with app store providers to block downloads of Grindr, Blued and other similar platforms, which he described as promoting “deviant” relationships.

Tightening social and political climate

The move underscores what critics describe as a tightening social and political climate in Malaysia. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim leads a fragile multi-party coalition that depends significantly on Malay-Muslim support, at a time when the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party has strengthened its influence among conservative voters.

While the government has sought to present Malaysia as a moderate, business-friendly economy attractive to foreign investors, its stance on LGBTQIA+ issues has drawn international scrutiny. Rights groups argue that recent actions signal growing pressure on minority communities and shrinking space for expression.

In recent years, authorities have taken action against LGBTQIA+-related cultural events and products. 

In 2023, a music festival in Kuala Lumpur was cancelled after members of British band The 1975 kissed on stage in protest against Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQIA+ laws. The government also banned and confiscated Pride-themed watches produced by Swiss manufacturer Swatch Group, arguing that they violated local regulations.

Sauna

In November 2025, police arrested more than 200 men during a raid on a male-only sauna in Kuala Lumpur over alleged “immoral activities”, marking one of the largest crackdowns on a gay venue in recent years.

Legal status of homosexual sex and LGBTQIA+ rights in Malaysia

Same-sex sexual activity remains criminalised under Malaysian federal law. Section 377A of the Penal Code prohibits “carnal intercourse against the order of nature”, a colonial-era provision inherited from British rule. 

The law has been interpreted to criminalise anal and oral sex between consenting adults, regardless of gender, and carries penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping.

Section 377D further criminalises acts of “gross indecency” between persons, adding another layer of potential prosecution. Although the provisions are technically gender-neutral, enforcement has disproportionately affected gay and bisexual men.

Dual legal system

In parallel with federal criminal law, Malaysia’s dual legal system allows state-level Islamic Shariah laws to apply to Muslims.

 Several states criminalise same-sex intimacy under Shariah provisions, with punishments including fines, imprisonment and corporal punishment. 

Shariah courts have prosecuted men for liwat (anal intercourse) and women for musahaqah (sexual relations between women). 

Because Shariah jurisdiction applies only to Muslims, non-Muslims fall solely under the federal Penal Code, but the existence of overlapping systems contributes to legal uncertainty and social stigma.

There are no comprehensive anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQIA+ people in Malaysia. Same-sex marriage and civil unions are not recognised, adoption by same-sex couples is not permitted, and there is no legal framework for gender recognition based on self-identification. 

Public advocacy for LGBTQIA+ rights frequently encounters legal and administrative barriers, and events perceived as promoting LGBTQIA+ identities have been cancelled or denied permits.

Human rights organisations have repeatedly called for reform of Section 377 and related laws, arguing that they contravene international human rights standards. Malaysian authorities, however, have maintained that such matters are tied to cultural and religious values.

Grindr and countries where it faces restrictions

Malaysia now joins a broader group of countries where Grindr faces government-imposed restrictions, delisting or full unavailability.

According to information published by the company, access to Grindr may be restricted by internet service providers or government censorship in several countries. 

These include (on 25 February 2026) Indonesia, Turkey, Lebanon, Qatar, Pakistan, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. 

In such jurisdictions, users may experience blocked connections or inability to load the platform. While some individuals attempt to access the service through virtual private networks (VPNs), Grindr notes that effectiveness cannot be guaranteed and may conflict with local laws regulating VPN use.

In addition to government-restricted environments, Grindr is entirely unavailable in certain sanctioned territories, including Crimea, Syria, North Korea, Cuba and Sudan. In these cases, VPN access does not restore service.

The app has also been delisted from official app stores in several countries. These include Saudi Arabia, China, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, the Maldives, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. 

In some cases, removal has followed direct government orders to platform providers; in others, local content regulations have resulted in compliance by Apple or Google.

Such restrictions are not unique to Malaysia. Indonesia, for example, has previously blocked multiple same-sex dating apps and debated tighter broadcasting laws targeting LGBTQ-related content. 

By contrast, some Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand and the Philippines, do not criminalise same-sex relations and have not imposed comparable app bans.

Grindr, founded in 2009, operates globally and has millions of users. It has long faced regulatory challenges in jurisdictions where same-sex relations are criminalised or heavily stigmatised. The company states that many access issues stem from state censorship rather than its own policies.

Blued, which has also operated internationally under various brand names, similarly faces restrictions in several markets. Neither Grindr nor Blued immediately responded to requests for comment on Malaysia’s latest actions.

Malaysia’s decision to block access to the websites, while studying broader legal tools to curb LGBTQ+ dating applications, signals a continuation of regulatory and political pressure in a country where same-sex intimacy remains criminalised and socially contentious.

Travelling to Malaysia

I travelled to Malaysia in January, and I event didn’t open Grindr. Grindr isn’t fun anymore to use. It’s quite a rabbit hole. You’ll read about my Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur adventures from September 2026, on Trip By Trip. 

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