Transvestites are among several minority groups still facing harassment from the authorities, according to rights group Suaram's Human Rights Report 2003.

The report said transvestites are frequent targets for the police and state religious officers.

"Muslim transvestites arrested are liable to be charged for wearing women's clothes and acting like women in a public place. This is an offence under the syariah criminal enactment," it added.

The report said those found guilty can be fined up to RM1,000 or jailed up to six months or both.

On the same note, Suaram said youths who choose to portray a 'punk' or 'rocker' image also fall prey to the authorities, who accuse them of loafing and being a nuisance.

Farmers' plight

The report also detailed the three-year long plight of a group of third generation cattle farmers from Ladang Bukit Tinggi in Klang, whose pleas against eviction are being ignored by the authorities.

According to the report, eight cattle farmers and a social activist were arrested when they attempted to meet with Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Mohd Toyo.

They were arrested for distributing leaflets and posters during Mohd Khir's meet the people session.

Suaram said the nine, including five women, aged between 13 and 73, were arrested for 'disrupting the meeting, illegal assembly, resisting arrest and (the) use of abusive language (towards the police)'.

Likewise, in Kampung Chekkadi, Ipoh, six activists, including PSM pro-tem committee member Dr D Jeyakumar, were arrested for preventing the demolition of a house.

The report said the house owner, known only as Ganesan, who has been living there for 25 years, was not served with an eviction notice and that the police did not have a court order to carry out the demolition.

Ganesan together with 250 other residents were offered housing lots in 1993, but his name disappeared from the list in 1998.