GEORGE TOWN, Nov 12 — Penang has formed a bipartisan committee to discuss issues faced by the transgender community.

The seven-member committee, to be headed by Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu, is set to have its first meeting at the state legislative assembly meeting room this afternoon.

State youth and sports, women, family and community development committee chairman Chong Eng said the legislature committee was formed last year but Teh has yet to convene its first meeting.

“Teh agreed to be chairperson but he has not called the meeting because he was adamant that this committee must have executive power, which is difficult to do at this moment,” the state executive councillor told the press this morning.

Chong said she convinced Teh to proceed with the meeting as the first step towards helping the minority community.

“The first step is to call for a meeting first and whatever conclusion they make in the meeting, they could propose it to the state assembly to be debated and adopted,” she said.

The Padang Lallang state assemblyman said she has also spoken to state Opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid who readily agreed to sit in the committee.

“The opposition state assemblymen are also open to forming this committee and to sit in the committee to discuss issues faced by the transgender community,” she said.

The committee will be discussing three main issues — where to place the transgender suspects upon arrest, where to ward them in hospitals and which public toilets they could use.

“We want to discuss these issues to protect their basic rights as humans so that they are not violated and treated humanely in such situations,” Chong said.

Other related issues proposed by Barisan Nasional (BN) state assemblymen to be discussed by the committee include the spread of HIV and the rehabilitation of the transgender community.

“So, any resulting proposals from these meetings can be raised at the state assembly and if adopted, things can then move such as getting the hospitals involved to decide where to ward transgenders,” Chong said.

The committee will consist of RSN Rayer (DAP — Seri Delima), Yap Soo Huey (DAP — Pulau Tikus), Ong Chin Wen (PKR — Bukit Tengah), Jahara (BN — Teluk Ayer Tawar), Shariful Azher Othman (BN — Bertam) and Muhammad Yusoff Mohd Noor (BN — Sungai Dua).