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Nation
Wednesday November 16, 2005
Experts to study transgender issue
KUALA LUMPUR: The help of local universities and experts will be
sought to conduct research on transgender issues to enable the
Government to deal with issues affecting this group of people.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat
Abdul Jalil said the time was right to make a thorough study of the
problems and issues affecting the transgender group, such as
homosexuality, bisexuality and same-sex marriage.
She said it was important to first understand why people resorted to sex
change or were attracted to the same sex.
Research papers on transgender issues done overseas would be studied,
she added.
¡§There must be a reason why such things happen. Currently, we do not
have studies on this. We need the facts and figures. We must first
understand how they turned out the way they are,¡¨ she said after opening
the third Asean senior officials meeting at Istana Hotel yesterday.
Shahrizat said such matters could not be swept under the carpet and
while the ministry was prepared to assist any marginalised group, the
issue at hand was delicate and sensitive as there was a religious
perspective to it.
¡§It also has great social impact and, personally, I believe we should
not punish or discriminate against anybody,¡¨ she said.
¡§The ministry is not here to pass judgments on people in this group. We
have to look at the problems they face. I think they need support and
help.¡¨
She was asked to comment on the decision by the Home Ministry and the
National Evangelical Christian Fellowship not to recognize the marriage
between Joshua Beh and Jessie Chung, a male who had a sex change
operation three years ago.
The wedding reception in Kuching last Saturday was presided over by
three Christian pastors from Bountiful Harvest, Shepherds Centre and
Assembly of Love.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid had said Malaysian laws did not
allow its citizens to change their gender in their identity cards even
though they had undergone a sex operation.
Meanwhile, Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) secretary-general Dr
Herman Sastri clarified that CCM did not encourage the practice of sex
change and same-sex marriages.
If a person comes to the church claiming that he or she has had a sex
change, we do not discriminate against the person or cast the person
out.
We help the person by understanding his predicament through counseling,
seeking the views of the parents and doctors on why the sex change was
carried out,¡¨ he said in a statement.
He said the CCM would help the person find happiness through faith in
God and acceptance in the Church.
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