Akmal Nadzim Abdullah, the assistant director at Jawi’s enforcement division, said: “Normally in our operations at night or at karaoke clubs, people give their full cooperation to us.

“But for this beauty pageant raid on April 3, 2016, the problem started after a commotion broke out.”

Akmal was testifying at the trial of lawyer Siti Kasim who was charged with obstructing Jawi officer Nor Jihan Saleh, a public servant, from discharging her duties during the department’s raid on a transgender event on April 3, 2016.

The offence carries a jail term of not more than two years or a maximum fine of RM10,000 or both, upon conviction.

A video of Siti shouting at the Jawi officers, asking if they had a warrant to raid the closed-door event, went viral on social media.

Akmal said people who attended the beauty pageant obstructed them from doing their job.

“I had briefed my 15 team members on their duties that night but the commotion disrupted our work,” he said, adding that Jawi raided the event after it received a complaint in March 2016.

He said the complaint was about an alleged breach of Federal Territories Islamic laws for disobeying a fatwa that forbade Muslims from joining beauty pageants.

Akmal also told the court that Siti approached him on that night (April 3, 2016) when the Jawi officers arrived at the ballroom, where the beauty pageant was held.

“I introduced myself as a Jawi enforcement officer and showed her my authority card.

“I told her that we were there to raid the premise because we had received a complaint that someone had organised a beauty pageant,” he added.

The hearing continues on Oct 15 and 19 before magistrate Maizatul Munirah Abd Rahman.