The human rights of the transsexual community should be respected and upheld just as the rights of other communities, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's (Suhakam) commissioner Dr Raj Abdul Karim said.

"Transgender people do not chose to be transgender. It's something that they are born with. So we should respect them as they have been born that way," she said in an interview yesterday.

Referring to malaysiakini 's exclusive report yesterday in which a transsexual revealed that she had been detained, stripped and humiliated by the police, Raj said this alleged ill-treatment by the police was 'a plain violation of human rights'.

"When I read a story like that I feel very upset. In this case, the police were so insensitive and this is a plain violation of human rights especially personal rights of privacy," she said.

Mumtaz ( left ), the 24-year-old transsexual, was arrested in Ipoh last month for allegedly being involved in prostitution.

Raj said Mumtaz who has undergone a sex-change operation had the right to ask for a female officer when told to strip.

"We should understand that she is a transgender. She has undergone a sex operation. Therefore, physically she's a female. For her to ask to be examined by a female police officer is a very legitimate reason and I don't understand why this request was not met," she said.

Marginalisation danger

Raj said there was also no reason for the police to order her to undress in the first place.

"There is no reason for you to ask a person to strip. Why should you ask a person to strip, just for no reason? Basically it's just for your personal gratification and curiosity.

"Especially when you ask her questions that are so private and all related to sex. I think these people looked at her just out of lust and curiosity," she added.

Raj ( right ), who is also regional director of International Planned Parenthood Federation, said the public should show more empathy for the transsexual community adding that any marginalisation would push them into vice.

"They have every right to participate in society. If you marginalise them, what happens is that many of them will end up as sex workers because they can't secure jobs," she said.

She said the problems of the transgender community has yet to be addressed as a whole and towards this all quarters concerned should sit down together to find amicable solutions.

"I think we should be able to sit down and listen to what exactly the problems that they are facing such as their identity cards and marriage status," she added.

Course proposed

Commenting on Mumtaz's case, Malaysian Aids Council president Marina Mahathir questioned the standard to strip either men, women or transsexuals when they are detained in police lock-ups.

"Even if she wasn't a transsexual, is that the way you (the police) normally treat people that you arrest? Is it standard practice to ask people to strip and ask them humiliating questions?" she asked when met yesterday.

She said it is unacceptable for the police to behave this way and proposed that a training course on reproductive health, violence against women and Aids be conducted for police personnel.

Ipoh district police chief Che Sab Hanafiah could not be reached for comment today.