Bukit Aman To Seek Australia's Assistance To Bring Nur Sajat Back To Malaysia
Bukit Aman CID director Abd Jalil Hassan has also urged the 36-year-old cosmetics entrepreneur to return home so she can help shed more light on the allegations that she was assaulted and molested by JAIS officers.
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The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will try to extradite cosmetics entrepreneur Nur Sajat, who has been on the run from the Malaysian government and is now living in Australia after being granted asylum
According to Bukit Aman CID director Abd Jalil Hassan, while the police have not received any formal confirmation about Nur Sajat current whereabouts, they are aware that she is now in Australia.
"Formally we still have not received confirmation that Nur Sajat is in Australia, however, we can see (that) based on recent social media postings. Officially, we have not received the confirmation from our embassies," The Star quoted Jalil as saying while he was speaking at a press conference in the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur yesterday, 3 November.
He said that the Malaysian High Commission in Australia and the Malaysian Embassy in Thailand have officially written to the Australian government on the matter and are waiting for their reply.
Malaysiakini reported Jalil as saying that Bukit Aman will seek Australian authorities' assistance to extradite Sajat, but the matter is up to Australia whether the country wants to extradite her.
"We will try to get their assistance, according to the rules and laws in Australia. However, it is up to Australia’s sovereign rights," the news portal quoted him as saying.
Meanwhile, Jalil urged the 36-year-old to return home so she can help shed more light on the allegations that JAIS officers molested her
He said that police are checking with the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS).
"We are still seeking verification from the religious department whether the wrongdoings as alleged by the person (Sajat) against its officers happened," Jalil told reporters.
In an interview with the New York Times last month, Sajat alleged that she was assaulted and molested by religious officers during an incident that took place at the JAIS office in January this year.
According to her, at least three men kicked, pinned her down, and groped her breasts.
Sajat's mother reportedly witnessed the assault and confronted one officer asking how pious Muslims could do something like this, to which, the officer responded that "Sajat was a man so it was OK".
"They think it is justified to touch my private part and my breasts because they perceive me as a male person. They didn’t treat me with any compassion or humanity," Sajat told the international publication.
Sajat, who first escaped to Thailand in February this year and then quietly moved to Australia in October, has been under intense scrutiny by both local authorities and netizens as early as 2016 after she publicly announced that she identifies as a woman
She has been on the receiving end of cyberbullying and death threats.
Her plight as a transperson has often been reported by international media.
On 6 January this year, Sajat was charged under Section 10(a) of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment (Selangor) 1995 as her act of cross-dressing is said to have brought contempt to Islam.
When she failed to show up during the mention of the case on 23 February, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) mobilised about 122 personnel to find and arrest Sajat, reported Malay Mail.
According to Sajat, the reason she chose Australia to seek asylum from Malaysia is because the country accepts "Sajat and Sajat is free"
"What else do we want? We want freedom. So, human rights here, it is very important. They (Australia) really prioritise human rights. I don't want anything, I just want human rights," she said.
Sajat added that she is "now happy and free".
"Now that I'm free, I can carry on with my life. Money can be earned but happiness can't be bought. For me, I'm happy being in a country that accepts (me for) who I am, and that's what I really want," she said, adding that she wasn't happy in Malaysia and chose to leave because she still has respect.
"I just want to find freedom, that's all," Sajat was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.
In this latest photo posted on her Instagram account, Nur Sajat revealed that she's in Sydney.
Image via @nursajatkamaruzzaman (Instagram)
If you or someone you know may be at risk or has experienced sexual abuse or assault, please reach out to these Malaysian organisations:
1. WOMEN'S AID ORGANISATION (WAO)
Operating hours: 24-hour
Contact: +603-30008858
SMS/WhatsApp: +6018-9888058
Website | Facebook | Twitter
2. ALL WOMEN'S ACTION SOCIETY (AWAM)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9.30am - 5.30pm)
Contact: +603-78770224
WhatsApp/Telegram: +6016-2284221 | +6016-2374221
Email: telenita@awam.org.my
Website | Facebook | Twitter
3. WOMEN'S CENTRE FOR CHANGE PENANG (WCC PENANG)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am - 5pm)
Contact: +604-2280342 | +604-3988340
WhatsApp: +6011-31084001 | +6016-4180342
Email: wcc@wccpenang.org
Website | Facebook | Twitter
4. SARAWAK WOMEN FOR WOMEN SOCIETY (SWWS)
Operating hours: Monday (7pm - 9pm),Tuesday to Thursday (9.30am - 11.30am), Saturday (2pm - 4pm)
Contact: +6082-368853
SMS/WhatsApp: +6016-5822660 | +6013-8044285
Email: sarswws@gmail.com
Website | Facebook | Twitter
5. SABAH WOMEN'S ACTION-RESOURCE GROUP (SAWO)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am - 5pm)
Contact: +6088-280200 | +6011-27908020
Email: sawo.women@yahoo.com
Website | Facebook | Twitter
6. PROTECT AND SAVE THE CHILDREN (PS THE CHILDREN)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (3pm - 12am)
WhatsApp: +6016-7213065
Email: protect@psthechildren.org.my
Website | Facebook | Twitter
7. INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION (IWF)
Anonymously and confidentially report child sexual abuse content and non-photographic child sexual abuse images with IWF's Reporting Portal.
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