The Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department sent a clear message to transgenders all over the world. Do not come to this conservative state in Malaysia if you identify as a transgender, or even as a transsexual. We will arrest you, jail you and fine you if we find you dressed up as women. It is reported in The Star on Friday, these Kelantanese religious moral guardians arrested young adult transgenders at a beauty pageant held within a nearby resort. The Malaysian Insider reported the arrest of 16 out of 50 contestants from all over the country, while 3 managed to escape by dangerously diving into the river, during this contest called the “Glam Nite Miss Universe Asia 2008″ at Tok Bali, Bachok.
Abdul Aziz Mohd Nor, chief assistant director of the religious group, was mentioned saying “activities of the transsexuals, including dressing up like women, were against Islamic practices”. By the picture of those busted, some were indeed transsexuals. So this begets the question, how much do Mr. Abdul Aziz know about transsexuals? Transsexuals (a sub-entity of transgenders) are a group of people that can now be reasoned medically and socially as women. They are not dragging around in women’s clothes. As for the “activities”, is it not normal for women to enter beauty pageants?
As for the transgender community, I did not realize that wearing a different set of clothes would brand people as immoral. Are we all not born into this world naked? Are they going to catch anyone wearing anything in semblance of a skirt like a sarong? Or if Scottish people ever hold an event in Kelantan, are they going to arrest them if they wear kilts? The capture of transsexual women itself is absurd. I wonder what they hope to accomplish by this behaviour towards an already very misunderstood group of people. Malaysia is still fighting hard to realize the goals for Vision 2020, but with such draconian rules based on an outdated mindset in our country that punishes some of those like transsexuals whose only sin is being themselves, how can that be possible?
In the aftermath of this recent arrest of transsexuals; it is a faint wish that relevant authorities, even in the light of the increasing evidences of transsexuality as a biological phenomenon during the past few years, would review this latest case of treatment towards them that went as low as treating them like criminals. But it is hoped that their plight in this country would be further highlighted by this incident. It is really time to exercise openness towards transsexuals, who are in the end humans and part of the Malaysian race. They deserve dignity to live as who they are.
