Experts to study transgender issue

Star: 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 recognise 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 counselling, 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.