Muslim Women Donning Men’s Clothing Face Jail in Malaysia

A recent Malaysian state decision to punish Muslim women for wearing men’s clothing and having unplanned pregnancies has enraged human rights activists. Fourteen rights groups have argued that legislative changes violate women’s right to freedom of expression, equality.

The new laws, which were passed by Terengganu state assembly in Malaysia, also exacerbate the “existing harmful impact on women, young people, LGBTQ people, and others,” according to a statement issued on December 3, 2022.

The amendments also made witchcraft and sorcery illegal in Terengganu, which is governed by the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia. According to state religious official Satiful Bahari Mamat, the offenses are by a fine of up to 5,000 ringgit ($1,135), a three-year jail term, and six lashes, or any combination of the three.

The move comes amid concerns that Islamist-based parties are attempting to gain a greater influence over state affairs, and it risks alarming investors even more. Global funds withdrew more than $1.2 billion from the domestic bond market in the first 11 months of 2022, owing in part to concerns about the country’s political instability.

The new laws would better protect “the well-being of Muslims,” Satiful said, according to Bernama. He went on to say that the prohibition on women acting like men was enacted because existing laws only addressed men acting like women.

“Because there may not have been much of this issue (women acting like men) in the past,” he told the state news agency. “However, we are seeing an increase in pengkid (tomboy or lesbian) cases and the like, so the state government intends to address this issue.”

In last month’s general election, the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, or PAS, won the most seats of any single party. The party has long stated its desire to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state, and it has lobbied the federal parliament to allow it to impose strict Islamic laws in the states it controls.

The legislative changes reflect Indonesia’s recent decision to outlaw extramarital sex and increase the penalty for abortions under an extensively revised criminal code. The bill also limits how much people can criticize the president and public institutions, and it restricts LGBTQ citizens’ rights.

Muslim women face jail for premarital sex

Meanwhile, in Indonesian parliament unanimously passed a major overhaul of the criminal code, raising concerns that the change in the law would harm the country’s significant tourism industry. The new legislation, which is a revision to existing criminal law, prohibits sex outside of marriage and cohabitation between unmarried couples.

Officials in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country say the changes, which will take effect in 2025, will uphold “Indonesian values.”

The new code, which must still be approved by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, includes provisions that make sex outside of marriage a one-year prison sentence. Furthermore, unmarried couples who live together may face up to six months in prison.

On Monday, Indonesia’s Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej dismissed concerns, saying that foreigners would not face prosecution.

“I would like to emphasize to foreign tourists that they should come to Indonesia because they will not be charged with this article,” Hiariej told reporters.

Extramarital sex and cohabitation offenses, he added, would only be prosecuted if reported by a spouse, parent, or child. He pointed out that adultery had already been made illegal for many years.

On the vacation island of Bali, Governor Wayan Koster also attempted to allay concerns about the law. He stated that local authorities would not inquire about tourists’ marital status.

Tourism is an important part of the Indonesian economy, accounting for nearly 5% of GDP. The country received over 16 million visitors in 2019, the year before the coronavirus pandemic.