Pondan beauty contestants rounded up
Published on: Monday, September 19, 2005
Tawau: Twelve transvestites, including nine who took part in a mak nyah (pondan) beauty contest, spent their Merdeka Month/Malaysia Day celebration in the lock-up after being rounded up during an operation on Friday night.A tip-off led six officials from the Sabah Islamic Affairs Department (Jheains), accompanied by nine police personnel, to conduct a raid under "Ops Mak Nyah" on an entertainment outlet here at 10.15pm.The transvestite beauty contest was organised to commemorate the closing of the Merdeka Month celebrations.ADVERTISEMENT Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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According to district Jheains head, Abdul Rahman Kassim, all the mak nyahs have been detained for investigations under Section 30 of the Syariah Criminal Offence Enactment, which prohibits Muslim men impersonating women.They risk being fined up to RM1,000 or six months' jail, or both, upon conviction.