Crime & Courts

Woe-man: Authorities raid Jitra birthday bash [NSTTV]

JITRA: Religious authorities descended upon a birthday celebration at a hotel in Bandar Darulaman, here, last night.

Acting on information, enforcement officers from the Kedah Islamic Religious Department (JAIK) raided the event attended by some 30 believed to be transgenders.

All of them, aged between 20s and 40s, were dressed in evening gowns and kebaya, were not arrested but issued with notices to appear at the Kubang Pasu District Religious Office at a given date.

There were also women and senior citizens at the event.

JAIK enforcement division assistant director Radzi Abdul Mutalib said in the raid conducted at 10.30pm last night together with several policemen, checks discovered 30 men dressed as women, believed to be transgenders.

He said another man, believed to be the event's organiser, was also instructed to be present at the district religious office to assist in investigations.

Radzi said some of the 30 issued with notices were from out of state, including Selangor.

"We were told the event started at 9.30pm, an hour before the raid was conducted. All of the 30 involved will be investigated under Section 36 of the Kedah Syariah Criminal Enactment 2014 and if convicted, they can be fined not more than RM1,000 or jailed six months or both," he said.

The organiser, he said, would be investigated under Section 31 of the same enactment for encouraging vice which carries a RM5,000 fine or three years' jail or both upon conviction.

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