A cabinet minister has slammed a syariah law used against Muslim transgenders, saying this lacked compassion.

"We should not have any law that deliberately denies them their rights, deliberately stigmatises and deliberately prosecutes them," said Paul Low, a minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

He, however, did not name the specific law.

"God has compassion. But where is that compassion that seems to be missing from our religions?" he asked.

Low, an activist-turned-politician, defended the transgender community at the closing of the Human Rights Day 2015 event in Kuala Lumpur.

Earlier , Social and an Enabling Environment Development Foundation (SEED) project manager Nisha Ayub had expressed concern that the law was being used to discriminate against the transgender community.

In defending the transgender community, Low said they should be allowed to enjoy their rights just like anyone.

"We must come to recognise that everybody, regardless of their gender, are human beings. Everyone has a right to have a job and live in the country. Transgenders are part of our society," he said.

Landmark ruling overturned

In 2014, the Court of Appeal had made a landmark ruling that a law against cross-dressing in Negri Sembilan was unconstitutional.

However in October, the ruling was overturned by the Federal Court on a technicality.

The case was brought by three transgenders - Muhamad Juzaili Mohd Khamis, Shukor Jani and Wan Fairol Wan Ismail - who sought a declaration that Section 66 of the Negri Sembilan Islamic Enactment that bars men from cross-dressing as women, to be unconstitutional to their rights under Articles 5(1), 8(2), 9(2) and 10 (1) (a) of the Federal Constitution.

Article 5(1) concerns the right to live with dignity and Article 8(1) states that all persons are equal before the law and entitled to equal protection of the law.

Article 8(2) states that there should not be gender discrimination, Article 9(2) is related to freedom of movement and Article 10(1) (a) is on freedom of expression.