‘Maknyah’ To Be Charged For Being Hostess At Charity Event, Lawyer Strives To Take Action Against JAWI
The Federal Territories Islamic Affairs Department (JAWI) stepped into the spotlight again when they raided a transgender event on April 3, after an alleged complaint about a "Beauty Contest" during the dinner. But now, the lawyer involved in the commotion is considering taking action against the religious authority following the incident.
Human rights lawyer and activist Siti Zabedah Kasim, who stepped in the ruckus said on Facebook: "The Maknyahs were simply having dinner and doing a show as if it is a beauty contest and each of them pretended to represent a country of their choice. Since when it is against the law to have a show during a dinner?"
“The officer told me that it’s against the law to have a beauty contest — it’s ‘haram’ in Malaysia, based on a fatwa,” said Siti who was invited to attend the dinner.
According to a 1996 fatwa issued by the National Fatwa Council, Muslim women are prohibited from joining beauty contests. The religious edict has been gazetted as law.
However, Siti claims “if they don't recognise these Maknyah as women, then what beauty contest are they talking about?”
“Are these so call contestants going to a Miss World representing the countries they were pretending to represent? It was a mere show, it is for Charity Fund Raising!!,” she frustratingly stated.
The dinner hosted in Renaissance Hotel that was meant to be a charity event organised by transgender women saw at least ten JAWI officers storming in along with the media around 10pm on the night, and attendees were forced to leave the dinner.
Transgender Nisha Ayub explained on Facebook, “This event was basically an event where there were mixture of cis gender and transgender community.
“It was just a dinner show to collect donation for charity purpose and its just a gathering event with performances shows . It was held in a 5star hotel which is a private and close event.
“JAWI came in without having any warrant. They wanted to arrest all the Trans community but thank god Lawyer Siti was there to bravely object towards this arbitrary arrest by the religious department. All of the audience was safely being allowed to leave.”
After the incident, Siti was taken to the Dang Wangi police station along with a Maknyah known as Ira who was the hostess of the dinner, where she lodged a report against the JAWI officer, but Ira unfortunately was denied from lodging a police report.
According to Siti, a JAWI officer told Ira that she would be charged on May 5 for contempt or defiance of religious authorities and encouraging vice (maksiat) under the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997.
"We are now gathering our lawyers to plan our next course of action. We will sue not just Jawi, but anyone else involved in the incident.
“We are deliberating whether to put forward the lawsuit to the judiciary or through a writ action. That needs to be discussed,” Siti told a local daily.
Nisha who recently received the prestigious International Women of Courage Award in Washington D.C. also took to Facebook to support Siti on her endevour.
Meanwhile on Facebook, Siti had shared the clip of what had transpired during the event, which has now gone viral with over 2,000 likes and shares at the time of writing.
-mD
