Penang Transgenders Committee chairperson (DAP-Tanjung Bungah) said the findings contained three recommendations.
He said the recommendations concerned access to medical facilities, gender-neutrality in washrooms, public utilities, and issues with law enforcers.
“We have submitted the symposium’s findings to the State Constitutional Committee, to take them up with the state assembly.
“We have attempted to get these findings incorporated into official documents in previous sittings but without success. So, we are now seeking the support of the Constitutional Committee and its chairman.
“These documents will act as a reference point and serve as a record of what the symposium had raised on issues related to transgender people,” Teh told reporters in a press conference at the state assembly today.
Teh was accompanied by the Transgender Committee’s secretary Lee Khai Loon (PKR-Machang Bubok) and treasurer Cheah Kah Peng (PKR-Kebun Bunga).
The symposium held three meetings last year and another three this year.
Teh’s committee was proposed in 2014 with the initial backing of eight assemblypersons, comprising mostly BN members. The identity of the members were never revealed.
Later, all the BN reps decided to drop out, leaving only the Pakatan Harapan reps.
Teh said the committee was a “hybrid one”, which was not part of the Penang state assembly, but one that straddled the house and the state government.
Meanwhile, Lee said the findings of the symposium were important to Penang and Malaysia as a whole, as the Transgender Committee was the only one of its kind in the country.
“As a legislator, we need to appreciate the voices from NGOs and transgenders. We hope the Constitutional Committee would take this matter seriously and table the findings in the assembly as an official document,” he said.
Cheah said the symposium was important as it signified the recognition of fundamental human rights in Penang and the country.
“Penang leads in this and also leads in observing this fundamental rights for all citizens. The symposium’s collation of information for the state assembly is precious for human rights in Malaysia.
“We are trying to push for an understanding, acknowledgement and protection of human rights for a minority group’s interest.
“Having it presented at the state’s legislature is an important step towards that objective,” he said.