KUALA TERENGGANU, 22 Dec 2017:
The Terengganu state government is willing to carry out various initiatives including by providing assistance for small business start-ups in a bid to help transvestites get out of prostitution and rebuild their lives.
Terengganu Communications, Multimedia and Special Functions Committee chairman Ghazali Taib said the state government had discussed with the Terengganu Religious Affairs Department (JHEAT) to identify the group to enable them to rehabilitate.
“We will identify and categorise them…whether they are doing immoral activities due to life’s pressure or because of their habit.
“Based on the category, we will help and provide them with rehabilitation and counselling sessions so that their gender identity disorder could be cured.”
Ghazali said the state government would also study causes and factors contributing to transvestites’ involvement in the immoral activities and if it was found they were still doing such activity, stern action would be taken.
On the reports about prostitution activity at a flat in the city, Ghazali said the matter had been referred to the police and it was found that only a small number of transvestites was involved – some from Terengganu while the others were from other states.
“We will see if they are doing that due to life’s pressure and difficulty of getting jobs…the government will consider the assistance for them to do business.”
– Bernama