Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called out Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on saying last week that gay people should be discriminated against.

Deputy director of HRW (Asia division) Phil Robertson said that Anwar was ‘fundamentally wrong’.

‘While this might be a good vote-getting strategy in some parts of Malaysia,’ Robertson said in a statement.

‘His claim shamefully runs completely contrary to the central principle of non-discrimination in international human rights law.’

HRW issued the statement after Anwar replied ‘yes’ to the question ‘should we discriminate against homosexuals?’ in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

Anwar was in court as part of a defamation action against the Utusan Malaysia newspaper, whom he is suing because they said he supports gay rights.

In January this year Anwar was acquitted of sodomy charges.