HATE speech against transgender people saw a spike in the last two weeks in tandem with headlines and social media posts on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, trans women rights group Justice for Sisters said.

The group received between 10 and 15 complaints of vilification since LGBT rights were reported by the media and discussed in social media, said co-founder Thilaga Sulathireh.

She did not cite a specific trigger but the topic is the spotlight recently following the removal of the portraits of transgender activist Nisha Ayub and LGBT activist Pang Khee Teik from a photography exhibition at the George Town Festival in Penang on August 5.

After news coverage of the ensuing uproar, the minister in charge of religion Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa met Nisha.

A few other ministers and public figures have also since then made various remarks about LGBT, some of which led to more outcry. 

“Their photos (LGBT people) were exposed and disseminated online without consent and they received hateful, violent and degrading comments either through private message or their emails. 

“Some transwomen are also facing their old cases being reopened. We are also receiving complaints on mental health issues (from the community), these complaints are channelled to different groups like Pelangi, Seksualiti Merdeka and Seed,” Thilaga said, referring to other civil society organisations helping LGBT.

Last year, Justice for Sisters documented 12 cases of hate crimes against transgender people. 

“But this is only a small number (that we receive) as we have also been hearing a lot about vigilante groups making citizen arrests.

“When you have a high level of misinformation, stigma, discrimination, it’s going to give a sense of impunity for non-state actors or members of the public to take action,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

A transwoman was recently assaulted by a group of eight men in Negri Sembilan. The victim suffered internal injuries, several broken ribs and injuries to the back and ear.

Also in the news recently were two Malaysian women sentenced to shariah caning in Terengganu after they admitted having sex.

“The violence has intensified because of the kind of context we are living in right now where we have a high level of misinformation and stigma, and all these embolden people who hold homophobic and transphobic views against the entire LGBT community,” said Thilaga.

She added that the government was sending mixed signals to the community, appearing concerned about the abuse against them but at other times criticising their lifestyle.

“Some of the things said by the ministers can be seen as very positive because they said LGBT people should not be discriminated, but on the other hand, they are also saying that LGBT content online will be monitored.” 

Some recent remarks by authority figures have not helped, such as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Fuziah Salleh who said transgender people should use public toilets meant for the disabled.

Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin also crudely told transgenders to look at where their urine came from, saying “If it comes out from a male organ, then use the men’s toilet. If it exits from a woman’s genitals, then use the women’s toilet”.

Thilaga added that those who faced discrimination are afraid to lodge reports with the authorities as they did not trust law enforcement agencies. 

“They feel complaining becomes counterproductive when you have Jakim or MCMC wanting to monitor (us). So, it’s difficult for LGBT people to seek redress,” she said, referring to the Islamic Development Department and the internet regulator, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

DAP’s Hannah Yeoh and Syahredzan Johan recently visited the transgender victim in Negri Sembilan in hospital and issued a joint statement calling for a stop to physical attacks and abuse against the community. – August 21, 2018.