Carolyn Khor's blog

From left: Ms Chinta, ASP Riza, YB Lee Khai Loon, YB Teh Yee Cheu, Zulfakri, Ustaz Khairol TG Symposium: Arrest and Detention Transgenders fear harassment during arrest and detention, and a symposium organised by the Transgender Committee set up by the State Assembly of Penang brought both transgenders and the authorities together to discuss the situation. Also involved in the organising of this event was Justice for Sisters, SUARAM Penang and PACA. Documented stories of how transgenders are being mistreated and ostracised by the authorities are plenty, and there should be policies and guidelines to resolve this issue. State Assemblyman for Tanjong Bunga, YB Teh Yee Cheu requested that the authorities invite a transgender to be present during body checks, to which the police replied that the suggestion will be forwarded to her superiors. According to the Assistant Superintendant Rizatulmi Haizaran Binti Samat from the police forces’ sexual harassment department, f...

The arrest of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is totally shocking as well as heartbreaking to those who have been supporting his administration for the past 8 years. This political persecution is a big blow to the opposition leaders but is even far more damaging to the overall morale of opposition supporters. The rude manner in which the Chief Minister was treated during arrest is not justified, even with the accusations brought against him. Firstly, he was not armed, did not resist arrest and had been cooperative with the MACC all along. Secondly, the Chief Minister should not be treated like a criminal before a guilty conviction has been passed. He faces two counts under Section 23 of the MACC Act and Section 165 of the Penal Code. Nonetheless, the MACC seem to be at the call and beckon of the UMNO chief. While RM2.6 billion transactions may be brushed off as a donation, the accusations against the Chief Minister pale in comparison to what seems to be an obvious play to ‘sav...

The Child Act 2001 is inadequate to protect children’s rights – this was the opinion and outcome of a roundtable discussion hosted by the Penang Women’s Development Corporation under YB Chong Eng, the state executive councilor for Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development. Members of Parliament from Pakatan Harapan such as YB Zuraida Kamaruddin, YB Sim Chee Keong and YB Teo Nie Ching received feedback from notable NGOs such as the Women’s Centre for Change (WCC), Service Civil International; and women advocates like YB Lim Siew Khim, DAP councillors Syerleena Rashid and Chris Lee, Aida Yusof Rawa from Parti Amanah, Lim Kah Cheng, and Priscilla Ho. The objective of this meeting, held last weekend, was to work together towards eliminating sexual crimes against children. Lim Kah Cheng aptly pointed out that although the number of police cases have drastically reduced through the years, the number of cases admitted to hospitals remained the same. She also mentioned that...