Nur Sajat alleges assault, molest by religious authorities during questioning
Cosmetic entrepreneur Nur Sajat alleged she was assaulted and molested by religious officers in Malaysia, according to an interview with the New York Times.
She claimed the incident took place at the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) office in January this year after she was summoned by the department over public complaints.
She alleged that at least three men kicked, pinned her down and groped her breasts...
Cosmetic entrepreneur Nur Sajat alleged she was assaulted and molested by religious officers in Malaysia, according to an interview with the New York Times.
She claimed the incident took place at the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) office in January this year after she was summoned by the department over public complaints.
She alleged that at least three men kicked, pinned her down and groped her breasts.
Sajat was later arrested and charged in the Shariah Court on the same day before being placed in a detention facility for men.
The article, which was published yesterday, claimed that Sajat's mother witnessed the assault and confronted one officer asking how pious Muslims could do something like this.
The officer purportedly responded that Sajat was a man so it was fine.
"They think it is justified to touch my private part and my breasts because they perceive me as a male person.
"They didn’t treat me with any compassion or humanity," Sajat said.
Contacted today, Jais said it has no statement on the matter so far but is willing to be investigated.
It is learned that Sajat made the claims in February, which prompted Jais to also lodge a police report.
"Jais is open to an investigation and has left the case to the police to investigate," an officer told Malaysiakini on condition of anonymity.
Sajat, who is a transperson, fled to Thailand last month after Malaysian authorities issued an arrest warrant for her failure to attend a Shariah Court hearing.
She was detained by Thai immigration in Bangkok after the Malaysian government voided her passport.
Sajat eventually fled to Australia while holding a United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Card.
In the interview, she told the New York Times that she was a target of the Malaysian government and fleeing to Australia was a difficult but correct choice, despite having to leave her family and business behind.
"I have always been scapegoated to distract from larger issues and my case has been sensationalised because of my social media presence.
"When I received refuge in Australia, I felt protected to be my true self, to be free.
"I felt trapped in my own country, where I was born, because of the laws there that criminalise me and consider me a man," she added.
Currently undergoing mandatory quarantine in Australia, Sajat said as long as laws targeting the LGBTQ+ community in Malaysia continue, she does not see a way to return.
"I was trapped and cornered in Malaysia because of the Shariah system.
"My very being, my existence, was being questioned. But I am very firm in my identity as a woman. This is who I am," she said.
Malaysiakini has contacted the police for comment.
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