Ruling on transgenders 'could undermine Islam'

 

The Court of Appeal decision recognising the rights of transgender people smears the Islamic institutions, says a Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) leader.

Khairul Anwar Ismail, who heads the prominent NGO’s legal bureau, said that if not contained, such moves can be a "virus", which could undermine Islam and its followers.

"The decision truly smears, insults and lowers the standing of religious institutions like the Syariah Courts, the state Islamic affairs departments and the fatwa councils…

"Today’s decision will truly be the worst virus, which could destroy Islam, the identity of Muslim society and that of all people of religion in Malaysia.

"It also destroys Malaysia’s identity as a state with a religion," Khairul Anwar wrote in a posting on Abim’s official Facebook page.

He also raised concern that the Court of Appeal verdict could open floodgates for further legal challenges by the LGBT community, including for same sex marriages.

"The thing we fear the most is that at the pinnacle is the struggle to demand legalising homosexual relationships and to repeal Section 377 of the Penal Code, and legalising same sex marriages and sex changes in the name of freedom and equality," he said.

Section 377 deals with "carnal intercourse against the order of nature", including anal sex, oral sex, with or without consent.

Respect them as humans

Khairul Anwar, nevertheless, stressed that the struggle against the LGBT movement does not equate harming the individuals as they should be respected as human beings.

"It is not right to harm the LGBT people as they are also human but at the same time, they must respect the majority of the country, the majority religion and the rules of this religion," he said.

Yesterday, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Negri Sembilan syariah law contravened the constitutional rights to equality and personal liberty, and the freedoms of movement and expression.

It also said the law which bans cross dressing by men fails to recognise men diagnosed with the Gender Identity Disorder (GID).

According to a Human Rights Watch report released this year, Malaysia is one of the worst places to be transgender.

Among others, the report details harrowing sexual and physical assault sustained by transgender people at the hands of enforcement agencies.