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The Star

The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) will summon a Malaysian participant in the Miss Equality World 2026 pageant in Thailand for questioning, following the circulation of social media posts.
In a statement on Tuesday, Jakim director general Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee said Jakim would work with state Islamic religious authorities and relevant agencies to take action against the individual in accordance with existing laws and regulations.
He said the participant’s involvement in the transgender beauty pageant was regrettable and had caused public concern.
Sirajuddin said the act went against religious values and human nature, as well as contravened Malaysian laws.
“Jakim and the state Islamic religious authorities will not compromise with any efforts to normalise such behaviour,” he said.
A video circulating on social media showed an individual, believed to be a man, wearing women’s clothing and speaking at the competition in Bangkok last Sunday, prompting criticism online.
Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Hasan said the contestant’s action, which tarnished the country’s image, was also incompatible with Islamic teachings and Malaysia’s cultural norms.
“Religious authorities will work with the relevant agencies to examine possible action under existing laws,” he said on Tuesday, state news agency Bernama reported.
Malaysia’s sharia laws, which apply only to Muslims, ban cross-dressing and other expressions of gender nonconformity.
In Kuala Lumpur, sharia law allows for fines of up to 1,000 ringgit (US$247) or a year in prison for Muslim men who wear women’s clothing in public and are deemed to be posing as women.
This story was first published by The Star


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The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia said it would summon the contestant in the Miss Equality World event for questioning


The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia said it would summon the contestant in the Miss Equality World event for questioning.


Religion

Thailand

Malaysian under fire for competing at transgender beauty pageant in Thailand

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia said it would summon the contestant in the Miss Equality World event for questioning

The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia said it would summon the contestant in the Miss Equality World event for questioning