International Desk: Malaysia has passed a new law for Muslim women. The Act included flogging and fines for out-of-wedlock pregnancies, behaving and dressing like men. This information was given in a Bloomberg report.
According to the report, human rights activists believe that the recent move by the government in the state of Terengganu will worsen the current state of women’s rights in the country. The amendment also banned witchcraft in the Islamic-Malaysia-ruled state of Terengganu.
Such offense is punishable with a fine up to five thousand ringgit or Malaysian currency and imprisonment for 3 years and 6 lashes or both. On December 1, the country’s news agency Bernama confirmed this information with reference to Satiful Bahari Mamat, the religious affairs officer of the Malaysian government.
Meanwhile, human rights groups across Malaysia have regularly condemned the provision. More than 14 human rights groups, including the All Women’s Action Society, said the legal change in the country’s northeastern state of Terengganu violated the rights to freedom of expression, equality and non-discrimination.
In a joint statement issued Dec. 3, the organizations said the new law passed by the state legislature will worsen the current situation for women, men and LGBTQ-identified people.
On the other hand, the country’s government is speaking differently about the law. Satiful told Bernama that it will bring more welfare for Muslims. The new law prohibits women from treating men like men. Because the current law only prohibits men from behaving like women. So, now equality has been brought in law for both men and women.
He also told the news agency, ‘Suddenly the reason for the new rules is that earlier this problem (women behaving like men or homosexuality) was not so much. But we see it more often now. The number of tomboys or lesbians is increasing day by day, so the state government has taken this step to control the problem.
