AUTHORITIES should be looking after the safety of cosmetics entrepreneur Nur Sajat, and not the fact that the transwoman wore Muslim female prayer attire (telekung), sexual minority rights group Justice for Sisters said.

The group slammed the minister in charge of religious affairs, Mujahid Yusof Rawa, for his reaction to Nur Sajat’s social media posts of herself dressed in a telekung while performing the umrah in Mecca.

“The real concern is not the telekung (prayer garment), but her safety and security, the breach of privacy and the lack of rights and evidence-based response by the government on this matter.

“Mujahid’s misplaced concerns and knee jerk reaction on this matter could further escalate concerns over the safety, security and persecution for her, her family members and friends in Malaysia and abroad,” Justice for Sisters said.

The group added that the entrepreneur, whose real name is Muhammad Sajad Kamaruzzaman, has been wronged by the sharing of personal documents, such as a copy of her passport, without consent, adding that this is a breach of the Personal Data Protection Act.

“Instead of investigating the perpetrators who shared her alleged legal and travel documents and addressing the spread of her personal data, Mujahid and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) are in discussion regarding actions that can be taken against Nur Sajat for sharing videos of herself in Mecca. 

“We call on Mujahid and MCMC to identify and address the root issues in this matter – the breach of privacy via doxxing, transphobia and misogyny online, and gender-based violence.”

Mujahid, who is minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, has promised action against Nur Sajat for posting photos and videos of herself in women’s prayer garments in Mecca

He said he also met travel agency Albayt Travel (M) Sdn Bhd, which handled the umrah trip.

Mujahid said Nur Sajat should have performed the umrah dressed as a man.

However, Justice for Sisters said it is not the state’s role “to police people’s sex and gender identity”. 

“The state’s role and obligation is to protect, fulfill and respect the human rights of all persons. Sex and gender identity are two separate things.

“We call for the government to refrain from being reactionary, as it has harmful unintended consequences.”

In 2017, Nur Sajat posted on her Instagram a letter from KPJ Ampang Puteri Hospital confirming her gender as female following a medical check up.

The head of a cosmetics and beauty company, she is said to have been born with both male and female sex organs before transitioning fully into a woman. – February 4, 2020.