PAS MP says Malaysia’s rank as ‘second worst country’ for transgender community ‘worth it’

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari today said that Malaysia’s status as the second worst country in the world when it comes to transgender rights is worthwhile.

The PAS leader said while keeping to the values set in the Federal Constitution, sometimes the country will have to face such reports.

“Today I read that Malaysia has been placed as the second worst country in the world after it rejected and expressed its non-support of transgender sights. In the Global Trans Rights Index report that was released recently, Malaysia is in the second worst position.

“Maybe from some certain point of view we are not happy with this report, but when faced with the values set in the Federal Constitution, even if we have to face a bad index like this, I think it’s worth it,” Fadhil told the Parliament in his speech when debating the annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).

Despite his remark, the Constitution does not have any anti-transgender provisions. The transgender community is usually targeted by state Shariah laws which criminalises "cross-dressing".

According to a Global Trans Rights Index released recently, Malaysia was given a score of -105 and the highest danger rating of F with the comment that trans persons face obstacles in the country and are targeted by the police.

Fadhli added that the Malaysian government should not feel intimidated by international pressure, and at the same time congratulated the Home Ministry for confiscating Swatch watches last month for alleged link to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

“I hope that our friends in the Home Ministry will continue to carry out their responsibility in accordance with the laws. Don’t be intimidated by international pressure,” he added.

The Home Ministry had last month seized 172 Swatch watches from 11 shopping malls in Malaysia from May 13 to May 15, with the seized watches actually being of nine different designs.

While Malaysian authorities had so far cited alleged “LGBT” wording on Swatch watches to justify the seizure, Swatch has been insisting that not all of the Swatch watches seized in Malaysia had LGBT wording.