During last week's parliamentary session, the member for Petrajaya, Fadilah Yusuf suggested that a separate category for hermaphrodites be made. This is to allow the government to keep track of the number of hermaphrodites in the country.

I think that this is such a preposterous suggestion. It is yet another invasion of privacy from the government. No person should be compelled to do this. From newspaper reports, transsexuals have been made the object of curiosity and humiliation. Hermaphrodites would face the same or a far worse fate if so identified and categorised.

One can understand if a transsexual desires to have a change of particulars in the identity card especially if there has been an accompanying change of appearance. I have come across a situation at an immigration centre in Johor, where a person was detained because her facial appearance did not tally with her name and appearance in her identity card which identified her as male. She was terribly embarrassed by the attention and curiosity of onlookers.

The government's plan as stated by member of parliament Chew Mei Fun that hermaphrodites are now given the choice to have sex reassignment surgery is welcomed. I hope the government will also ensure that the National Registration Department would facilitate the change of particulars consequent to that. In the meanwhile, the idea of a separate "doubtful hermaphrodites" as suggested should not be considered.