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Siti Kasim:'Stand with me if you're against unlawful arrests and prosecution'

Siti Kasim:'Stand with me if you're against unlawful arrests and prosecution'

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/siti-kasim-stand-with-me-if-youre-against-unlawful-arrests-and-prosecution?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 — Charged with obstructing a religious officer during a raid on transgenders, Siti Kasim urged Malaysians today to join her in speaking out against unjustified arrests and prosecution.

Released on bail today, the vocal lawyer and social activist reaffirmed her commitment to fight unjust treatment for anyone regardless of gender, race and religion.

“I will always defend the rights of Malaysians from unjust treatments. If you believe that all of us, no matter what gender, race or beliefs should be protected under our law, not to be prosecuted and arrested without lawful justification, then stand with me,” she said in a statement read out by her counsel Roger Chan, outside the Magistrate’s Court here.

“I believe if we protect one, we will empower thousands.

“We must never allow anyone or anybody to flex their muscle just because they think they can . Our country has a Federal Constitution that protects our rights. It is my belief that public officers exist to perform duties for the good of society, and even more so, obligated to abide by rules and procedures of conduct.

“A private dinner being raided by religious authorities cannot be exempted from this. No one is above the law,” her statement read.

Siti is charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code with obstructing an officer from the Federal Territories Islamic Department (Jawi), Siti Nor Jihan Saleh @ Md Ghazali, from discharging her duty during a religious raid at the Renaissance Hotel here on April 3 last year.

Siti claimed that she had been arrested by the officers despite identifying herself as a lawyer and a guest at the private dinner party for trans women.

If found guilty, she can be jailed up to two years, fined a maximum of RM10,000, or both.

Earlier today, Magistrate Ahmad Solihin Abd Wahab released Siti on a bail of RM3,000 in one surety and ordered the latter to show up in court for her case mention dates.

Met later after posting her bail, Siti said she will be continuing her lawsuit against Jawi, and that she has already obtained the names of the officers involved in the raid.

“I will not be intimidated. I will continue with what I have been doing, not just for the LGBT community, but everybody.

“This is pure intimidation. I filed a civil suit against them, and suddenly, one year later, they are charging me in court for this,” she told reporters.

In a Facebook posting on June 13, Siti said she learnt about the charge after receiving a phone call from a police officer, just hours after the High Court had ordered Jawi to release the details of officers involved during the raid, in a hearing related to Siti’s planned civil suit against Jawi regarding her arrest.

Siti Kasim had sought a court order compelling Jawi to name the officers who conducted the raid, for the purposes of her civil suit against the department.

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Siti Kasim: 'Saya akan terus pertahan hak LGBT dan semua orang'

http://www.kinitv.com/video/49623O74#.WUy6s6NTjAA.facebook

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Siti Kasim press statement 

https://www.facebook.com/sitikasim/posts/10213520410867453?pnref=story

PRESS STATEMENT
23 JUN 2017
Today, I have been charged with obstructing a Public Servant under Section 186 of the Penal Code. The alleged incident occurred during a raid, which was carried out by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department – JAWI, at the Renaissance Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on 3rd April 2016 at a Fundraising Dinner hosted by Transgender women.

I was notified of the Charge on the 13th of June 2017, just a few hours after the High Court compelled JAWI to provide me with the names of the JAWI officers in charge of the raid. This is following an application I had filed for the purpose of suing JAWI for unlawful arrest against me.

I will always defend the rights of all Malaysians from unjust treatment. If you believe that all of us, no matter what gender, race or beliefs should be protected under our laws, not to be persecuted and arrested without lawful justification, then stand with me. I believe if we protect one, we will empower thousands.

We must never allow anyone or anybody to flex their muscles just because they think they can. Our country has a Federal Constitution that protects our rights. It is my belief that Public Officers exist to perform duties for the good of society and are even more so obligated to abide by rules and procedures of conduct. A private dinner being raided by religious authorities cannot be exempted from this. No one is above the law.

Siti Kasim

KENYATAAN AKHBAR
23 JUN 2017

Hari ini, saya telah didakwa menghalang Penjawat Awam di bawah Seksyen 186 Kanun Keseksaan. Kejadian tersebut berlaku semasa serbuan, yang dilakukan oleh Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan - JAWI, di Renaissance Hotel di Kuala Lumpur pada 3 April 2016 di Majlis Makan Malam Penggalangan Dana yang dihoskan oleh wanita Transgender. Saya diberitahu mengenai dakwaan ini pada 13 Jun 2017, hanya beberapa jam selepas Mahkamah Tinggi mengarah JAWI untuk memberikan saya nama-nama pegawai JAWI yang bertanggungjawab terhadap serbuan itu. Ini adalah berikutan Permohonan yang telah saya failkan bagi tujuan menyaman JAWI terhadap Penangkapan yang menyalahi undang-undang terhadap saya.

Saya akan sentiasa mempertahankan hak-hak semua rakyat Malaysia daripada perlakuan yang tidak adil. Sekiranya anda percaya bahawa kita semua, tidak kira apa jantina, kaum atau kepercayaan harus dilindungi di bawah undang-undang kita, tidak patut dianiayai dan ditangkap tanpa alasan yang sah, maka berdirilah dengan saya. Saya percaya jika kita melindungi satu, kita akan memberi kuasa kepada beribu-ribu.

Kita tidak boleh membenarkan sesiapa atau mana-mana institusi menyalahgunakan kuasa hanya kerana mereka fikir mereka boleh. Negara kita mempunyai Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang melindungi hak kita. Adalah kepercayaan saya bahawa Penjawat Awam wujud untuk melaksanakan tugas demi kebaikan masyarakat oleh itu mereka lebih bertanggungjawab untuk mematuhi peraturan dan tatacara kelakuan. Makan malam peribadi yang diserbu oleh pihak berkuasa agama tidak boleh dikecualikan daripada ini. Tiada siapa yang melebihi undang-undang.

Siti Kasim

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Archeived:

http://tingtangting.blogspot.fi/2017/04/arkib.html

17June2017/HIAP summer party/ gender/queer portraiture/madonna cover

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Court orders Jawi to name officers in transgender raid

Now Siti Kasim to face obstruction charge over transgender beauty pageant raid

http://m.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/now-siti-kasim-to-face-obstruction-charge-over-transgender-beauty-pageant-r?utm_content=bufferca0ac&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Lawyer and social activist Siti Kasim is expected to be charged with obstruction during a transgender “beauty pageant” raid conducted by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) last year.

Siti, who was a guest at the event but was arrested by authorities, said in a Facebook posting that she will be charged on June 23 under Section 186 of the Penal Code, for voluntarily obstructing a public servant from carrying out his duties.

If found guilty, Siti could face two years in prison, a RM 10,000 fine, or both.

Siti Kasim said that she knew about the charge after receiving a phone call from a police officer earlier today, just hours after the High Court here, in a hearing related to Siti Kasim’s planned civil suit against Jawi regarding her arrest that night, ordered Jawi to release the details of officers involved during the raid.

“Hmmm... very interesting indeed..... coincidence?” she wrote on her Facebook account on the information regarding her charge being relayed right after the court ruling.

Siti Kasim claimed that she was arrested during the April 3 raid by the officers despite identifying herself as a lawyer and as a guest during the dinner.

She was later kept waiting for several hours at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters before being told that she was not under arrest.

Siti Kasim had sought a court order compelling Jawi to name the officers who conducted the raid, for the purposes of her civil suit against the department.

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Court orders Jawi to name officers in transgender raid 
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/court-orders-jawi-to-name-officers-in-transgender-raid#sthash.VB5SYJ48.dpuf

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 ― The High Court here ordered the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) today to release details of the officers involved in last year’s raid at a purported “beauty pageant” for transgenders.

Lawyer Surendra Ananth, representing Siti Kasim who plans to sue Jawi raiding officers for her wrongful arrest, said Justice Faizah Jamaludin allowed the “pre-action” order to obtain within 14 days details of the officers who raided the event in April last year at Renaissance Hotel here.  

“The judge allowed the application. The government, which is the defendant, has 14 days to divide the names and titles of the Jawi officers involved in the incident,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted.

“Siti will be filing a suit against the government and the officers for wrongful arrest and detention once we get the details,” he added.

Jawi officers raided the event on April 3 last year and arrested Siti then, claiming that the function was unlawful as it was supposedly a beauty pageant held for trans women.

Siti said she was present as an invited guest at the closed-door dinner event and that Jawi officers did not state the reason for their intrusion, adding that they had sought to detain all present at the dinner without informing them of their alleged offence.

Siti also added that she had identified herself as a lawyer, but Jawi’s enforcement officers did not respond then to her queries on the alleged offence that led to the raid, adding that these officers who were unaccompanied by the police had failed to show any arrest warrants.

She said one of Jawi’s enforcement officers finally told her the alleged offence was the organising of a beauty pageant, but the officers failed to state any legal provision for this and had ignored her attempts to explain that the event was a dinner.

Siti had accused Jawi of abusing their powers by bringing her to the Dang Wangi police station, where she was allegedly told to wait for several hours before she was allowed to leave as she was not under arrest.

The activist and lawyer in November last year filed for a court order against Jawi and the government to ask for information on the raid and raiding officers, which would be necessary for a lawsuit, after Jawi ignored her letter of demand.

from:http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/court-orders-jawi-to-name-officers-in-transgender-raid

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Mahkamah arah JAWI dedah maklumat anggota terbabit serbuan

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/385402#.WT9gBb0IS4g.facebook

Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur hari ini memberi Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (JAWI) 14 hari untuk mendedahkan butiran anggotanya yang terbabit menangkap peguam Siti Zabedah Kasim semasa serbuan di sebuah acara anjuran golongan transgender pada April tahun lalu.

Peguam Surendra Ananth berkata keputusan itu dibuat oleh Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman Datin Faizah Jamaludin yang membenarkan permohonan Siti dalam kamar pagi ini.

"Hakim mengarahkan kerajaan persekutuan untuk menyediakan nama, kedudukan dan butir-butir mengenai anggota penguatkuasa yang terlibat dalam penangkapan itu dalam tempoh 14 hari," katanya kepada Malaysiakini.

Surendra berkata permohonan itu berkaitan dengan niat anak guamnya untuk memfailkan saman terhadap JAWI berhubung penahanannya kerana didakwa mengadakan pertandingan ratu cantik di sebuah hoel pada 3 April tahun lalu.

"Isunya ialah kita tidak mempunyai nama-nama anggota yang terlibat.

"Jadi (permohonan) ini adalah pra-tindakan dalam usaha untuk meneruskan saman itu,” katanya selepas keputusan itu disampaikan dalam kamar.

Dalam saman pemula yang difailkan oleh Mark Law Chambers pada 20 Oktober lalu, Siti memohon perintah mahkamah supaya JAWI membekalkan beliau dengan butiran anggota berkenaan.

Ketika itu, Siti menegaskan bahawa majlis yang diadakan  adalah acara makan malam tertutup dan bukannya pertandingan ratu cantik, tetapi mendakwa ini tidak dihiraukan oleh pihak yang membuat serbuan.

Beliau juga mendakwa bahawa pegawai penguatkuasa JAWI menyalahgunakan kuasa mereka dengan mengheretnya ke Balai Polis Daerah Dang Wangi.

Di Mana (where are) young (spotted)

https://www.timeout.com/kuala-lumpur/art/di-mana-where-are-young

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A response to the lack of women artworks in galleries and museums, Di Mana (where are you) young is a showcase of women's artworks from around the country. The works in the exhibition consist of the gallery's permanent collection, latest artworks from invited artists and entries through an open call. "

*The painting is depicting a post-op transwoman  who's dilating her vagina and also means synchronicity between the body and soul for some transwomen who requires the surgery (some don't require them/transwomen comes in many variations as well, some are ok with their body/gender dysphoria also is in a spectrum)

HIAP open studio/May2017.gender-blender portraiture

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Happy birthday Ramy Essam

via GIPHY







http://suan.fm/mix/jp1QxKC

Msia / Is it wrong to engage with the LGBT community?

Is it wrong to engage with the LGBT community?
Read more at https://asiancorrespondent.com/2017/06/wrong-engage-lgbt-community/#6lXExf0dyfPBOvme.99

SOCIAL stigma is something that can be very influential even if it is not the rule of law, because it is how society treats any particular issue, and usually it is with scorn, ridicule, and even abuse.

For example, the stigmatisation of HIV/AIDS, the victims of abuse and rape, and even divorce and illegitimate children has a negative impact on the affected communities, as well as society overall.

Recently, Malaysia’s ministry of health has been seen actively trying to demonise the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transexual (LGBT) community by organising a video competition to see who can come up with the best way to prevent homosexuality and ‘gender confusion’.

The government is offering cash prizes of up to RM4000 to participants who can produce videos that will aid in the prevention of people becoming homosexuals, or just being ‘confused’ by their gender’.

‘Gender confusion’ is one of three different themes that participants can choose from. The other two are ‘sexual reproduction’ and ‘cybersex’. The tagline for the video competition is ‘Value yourself, practice healthy lifestyle’.

SEE ALSO: Malaysian ministry offers youth cash prizes for best video on how to not be gay

It would seem that the ministry of health has the perspective that the LGBT community are a confused group of people and that there needs to be preventive measures taken so that people would not be ‘confused’ and become a member of this community.

This would be considered dangerous because if the government is seen as advocating the demonisation of a segment of the country’s population, then the negative social stigma would almost be legitimised and condoned.

For context, homosexuality is considered a crime in religiously conservative Malaysia and the act of sodomy is outlawed. As it is, the negative perception of the LGBT community is alarmingly high even without the encouragement of the government.

Just a few months ago, there was such a ruckus made over a simple 3 minute scene in the movie Beauty and the Beast which certain quarters took as a condoning of homosexuality. The movie was almost banned but then was allowed to be shown.

The danger is that the LGBT community in Malaysia could face even more persecution and hatred by the rest of society after this. And we definitely do not want this to escalate into violence against them as well.

Several sexual rights and health activists have already started being vocal about their criticism against the government. Gay rights activist Pang Khee Teik says that this would only add to the confusion, distrust and fear that people already have.

Transgender activist Nisha Ayub stated this video competition would only encourage discrimination, hatred and even violence towards the minorities. She adds that the ministry should focus on health issues instead of sending negative messages out to the public.

The ministry of health has issued a statement in response to this criticism. The statement read that the competition aims to empower adolescents to make wise decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health.

SEE ALSO: Malaysia: Green light for Beauty and the Beast with no cuts

It also stated that the ministry does not discriminate when it comes to healthcare and that, with regards to the LGBT community, all health workers are to treat every individual equally and with due respect to an individual’s right.

Even if it we were to look at Malaysia’s conservatism as an environmental background to understand the issue, the best way to tackle it would be to encourage engagement and discourse rather than outright condemnation.

It really boils down to a lack of understanding. And this lack of understanding, as I have mentioned, is due to the lack of engagement.

So instead of organising a video competition to try and prevent the expansion of the LGBT community, why not organise a panel discussion with them instead?

** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not reflect the views of Asian Correspondent

Read more at https://asiancorrespondent.com/2017/06/wrong-engage-lgbt-community/#6lXExf0dyfPBOvme.99

Malaysia offers up to $1,000 for best 'gay prevention' video

https://www.yahoo.com/news/malaysia-offers-1-000-best-gay-prevention-video-063205043.html

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - The Malaysian government is offering cash prizes of up to $1,000 for the best videos explaining how to "prevent" homosexuality, according to a competition launched on the health ministry's website.

Activists on Saturday said the move will further spread fear among Malaysia's LGBT community, as conservative attitudes chip away at the Muslim-majority nation's one-time reputation for moderation and tolerance.

Contestants are invited to submit a video clip addressing various categories including gayness or "gender confusion", and offering suggestions as to how these could be "prevented or controlled".

Winners will receive between 1,000 and 4,000 ringgit ($235-$940) after the competition closes at the end of August, the ministry's website said.

The short video clips need to focus on "prevention, control and how to get help" as well as "issues and consequences".

The guidelines described the overall theme of the video contest as: "Value Yourself, Healthy Lifestyle Practice."

"Each work will be judged on originality, content, concept and creativity and quality production by a panel of judges appointed by the organizers," according to the health ministry's website.

"The very fact that they lump LGBT people under a category called 'gender confusion' shows that the authorities are very much confused themselves," Pang Khee Teik, a well-known local activist, told AFP.

"It is mind-blowing that a government agency wants the whole country to be sucked into its confluence of confusion."

Participants in the competition can also make videos about sex and the internet, or sexual health.

A health ministry spokesman declined to comment. AFP was unable to immediately contact other health ministry officials.

Homosexuality is forbidden in Malaysia, where laws criminalising sodomy can result in imprisonment, corporal punishment and fines.

Pang said LGBT people have difficulty accessing good medical services in Malaysia due to a distrust of health care authorities.

"This kind of contest will only add to the confusion and distrust and fear," he warned.

Nisha Ayub, Malaysia's most prominent LGBT activist, said health authorities were initiating hatred and discrimination against the community in Malaysia.

"The ministry needs to revise this and think about their actions," added Ayub, who last year became the first transgender woman to be named in the list of International Women of Courage by the US State Department.

Malaysia hit the headlines in March over its attitudes to homosexuality, when the country's film censorship board demanded cuts to Disney's hit movie "Beauty and the Beast" because of a "gay moment".

But the entertainment giant refused to remove the scene and said it would release the film in full.

Related news / ongoing archieved:

http://tingtangting.blogspot.fi/2017/04/arkib.html

Where love is illegal

http://whereloveisillegal.com/david-rose/
“i am asylum seekers from malaysia currently live in sweden for almost 2 years now. I from the muslim country that we practise shariah laws, illegelly same sex activity, no healthcare access, no marriage, no basic human right at all. i have a past darkness of discriminate, bullied, religious police arrest, daily fear to murdered, teacher cutting my hair shorter at school, a lots hurt memory that bring me to final decision, seeking protection in sweden. offers besr equality lgbtq right. i’m feel like a bird just release from the cage. freedom is meaning a lots for us, i believe we all deserve a better life and never give up to looking forward being who you are today.”

related news/ongoing documentation /LGBTIQ/Malaysia:
http://tingtangting.blogspot.fi/2017/04/arkib.html

Acitivst slams gov't 'LGBT prevention' contest for miseducating public

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/384295

Acitivst slams gov't 'LGBT prevention' contest for miseducating public

A video contest organised by the Health Ministry has come under criticism by transgender activist Nisha Ayub.

The contest, calls for the creation of a video on one of three topics, namely on sexual reproduction, cyber sex and gender dysphoria.

Nisha took offence with the third topic, gender dysphoria. Contest guidelines had supplied examples of issues for the topic such as “gay”, “lesbian”, “transgender”, and “tomboy”, but added that the video must outline the “issue and its consequences”.

related news / ongoing documentation/LGBTIQ/Malaysia:

http://tingtangting.blogspot.fi/2017/04/arkib.html