YOURSAY | ‘Her case is a sad commentary of how religion is treated in M’sia.’

'I don't feel safe' - Sajat settles down in Australia

Vijay47: What poetic irony! Two issues surfaced at the same time and revealed how certain religious bodies and personalities demand so-called practice of faith.

One reflects sheer idiocy, seeing offence in anything they wish to see as offensive, and the other showing how merciless they can be in their application of religious norms.

Nur Sajat’s case is a sad commentary of how religion is treated in Malaysia, and almost every line in her statement is an expression of condemnation of the very body from which compassion is expected.

Can we imagine a Muslim saying that for dressing as a woman she “did not feel safe in her own country and had to flee to Australia” through Thailand? She received far more assistance from the Australian Embassy in Bangkok than she did from religious authorities here.

The cunning cruelty displayed by the Immigration Department is unbelievable. They voided her passport and then informed Thailand that she was there illegally.

What did her choosing to dress as a woman, or of wanting to be a woman, have to do with her entitlement to a passport? How many passports have Immigration cancelled? Have the passports of all the 1MDB accomplices and assorted crooks facing countless charges been also cancelled?

Perhaps the most telling element in Nur Sajat’s statement were two additional letters. She said “If I am still a Muslim…” She did not say “I am still a Muslim…”.

Iphonezours: Malaysia, if we want to fight for human rights as we have just secured a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), then we should start at home with our own citizens first.

Do not discriminate against women, transgenders, etc. If a Malaysian has to run away and seek safety in another country, there must be something not right in this country.

Optimus: Try to reconcile this with the government being so proud that the country is voted in for a seat in the UNHRC, and our foreign minister preaching to the world that Malaysia will continue to be a voice against human rights violations.

BobbyO: Only recently admitted to the UNHRC, already there are two nations that don’t trust our commitments to human rights.

What a disappointment for all the officers who worked hard behind the scenes to get this nation admitted into the UNHRC only to see their efforts wasted due to these zealots.

Not only were their efforts wasted, but the Thais and Australians would also warn their citizens from coming to this nation due to the mistreatment of minorities, especially the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community), by our authorities.

At the same time, the publicity that Nur Sajat will get through the global press will further dampen our tourist arrivals, especially from Australia.

To these zealots that have nothing to lose, as they are very well sponsored through the taxpayers’ monies, they should think about the effect it will have on our tourism industry.

As they say, you do not need enemies from outside to damage the reputation of a religion, the enemies within are enough to frighten people away.

Vgeorgemy: This is when we should take a deep bow to the people of Thailand for honouring the international covenants of protecting human rights by permitting Nur Sajat to go to her choice of residence.

JBond: Nur Sajat, bravo for standing up against the bullying authorities. Malaysia is not a place for you because it is a failed state where crooks and religious bigots thrive.

Your entrepreneurial skills are welcomed by countries that value human capital and respects human rights but not in a country that runs on racism, bigotry and corruption.

Anonymous080: God acts in mysterious ways. The authorities spent their resources - PDRM, Immigration, Maritime, Jakim, etc, but in the end, they ended up with an egg on their face.

How humiliating it is for their brand of justice. This is a slap on the face of Malaysian authorities and the government.

It’s better for them to spend time looking for Jho Low and his coterie of thieves, as well as Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband and her daughter who was forcibly converted.

Also, where are Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat?

Asitis: I rejoice that Nur Sajat is now safe in a country that accepts her for who she is and appreciates her for her capabilities, but I cry for Malaysia. Malaysia lost again. It loses another towering citizen to bigotry.

How many more will it lose before there are no more talented and capable people left in this country? All the best to Nur Sajat in her new country of residence.

Headhunter: Nur Sajat, put the past behind you and make a good life for yourself. You are a much stronger and better person than those who tried to persecute you.

FairMind: There is a saying that how we treat animals reflects on our humanity. In this case, these religious bigots in Malaysia have treated a human as an animal.

What can we say about the humanity of these religious bigots?

BlueLynx2013: And meanwhile, a bomoh was charged for raping a 23-year-old woman.

I find it strange that no one showed any interest in counselling him.

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