PETALING JAYA: A Syariah court in Kelantan has handled its first case involving an individual who changed gender (transgender) under the Syariah Criminal Code (I) 2019, since the law was gazetted in 2020.
A source from the Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department said the individual was detained during an operation carried out on an event involving a group of transgender individuals, reported Sinar Harian.
“Following that, a prosecution was initiated against the suspect at the Kelantan Syariah Court recently on allegations of undergoing gender change,” the source said on Wednesday (Feb 4).
According to the source, the case is still at the case management stage after the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The source said the individual was believed to have changed gender in the middle of last year.
The prosecution was filed under Section 18 of the Syariah Criminal Code (I) 2019, which relates to the offence of changing one’s own gender or that of another person. If found guilty, the offender may be punished with a fine not exceeding RM3,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years, or both.
Meanwhile, Kelantan Islamic Development, Da'wah, Information and Public Relations Committee chairman Mohd Asri Mat Daud said his side could not disclose details of the case openly.
“I do not have complete information and there are issues that cannot be disclosed publicly. In this matter, I have to safeguard all parties who are being acted against,” he said.
