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January 2021, a 36-year-old Malaysian beauty entrepreneur is accused of insulting Islam, according to ABC News.
Nur Sajat could face three years jail for dressing as a woman. Most likely in a men’s prison.
But her case had been aggravated because she didn’t just dressed up as a woman but she wore a Muslim veil and robe…
A double insult under sharia law.
Desperately, she fled to Australia, leaving behind a business empire and two children.
Upon a stopover in Bangkok, Thai officials arrested her for entering the country illegally.
Malaysian authorities had cancelled her passport and wanted her extradited.
Idris Ahmad, from Malaysia’s Government religious affair department said that Malaysia didn’t want to punish her.
Instead, if she admitted “wrongdoing”, Malaysia wanted to educate her.
Luckily she was granted refugee status by the United Nations. And Thailand could not deport her.
The Australian Government has understood that the prosecution against her was solely on the basis of gender identity.
Now Ms Sajat has been granted protection visa in Australia.
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If you are a LGBT foreigner living in Australia and you face serious discrimination if you go back to your country of origin, fill in the form below to see if you are eligible to apply for protection visa and stay permanently in Australia.
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Australia is one of the most LGBTI-friendly countries in the world.
In a Pew Research poll, 79% of Australians agreed that homosexuality should be accepted by society.
On the other hand, human rights groups say conditions for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) in Malaysia are going from bad to worse.
Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division said:
“[Malaysia] is one of the most anti-LGBT governments in the region.
And it’s time for the international community to tell Malaysia that these actions against LGBT people are simply unacceptable.”
Malaysian government leaders revealed they are considering banning transgender people from entering mosques.
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said LGBT people need to be guided so that they can return to the “right path”.
Until now, the Malaysian police continue to pursue the extradition of Nur Sajat, despite the latter being granted asylum in Australia.
A 2019 study on the discrimination against transgender people in Kuala Lumpur found more than half of those surveyed did not feel safe living in Malaysia.
In fact, 72 per cent was considering migrating to countries with better legal protection, including Australia.
If you are a LGBT person currently living in Australia and you fear going back to your country of origin check if you are eligible for a LGBT protection visa in Australia.
