Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Transgender Woman Found Dead With Neck Stab Wound.

It is only the month of February, and with Malaysia still in celebratory mood on the occasion of Chinese New Year, this news came in and turned my day sour, and I believe it would be another day of sadness for all transgenders worldwide. Another transgender woman was found murdered last Sunday, stabbed on the neck at her own house.

The original story is here. However, the New Straits Times (NST) once again showed total lack of professionalism in journalism, using her “male” name several times, and the whole article is riddled with male pronouns. We can see here that the NST has obviously no respect for the dead, or for transgenders for that matter, and seems to insist on using the word “transvestite” to describe the victim. Such is the lack of knowledge and understanding displayed by NST. I have edited the post, and give her the face she deserves.



Transgender found dead with neck stab wound
By : Jassmine Shadiqe
(edited by Yuki Choe)

JOHOR BARU, Mon:

A transgender woman was found dead with a stab wound on her neck in her house in Taman Molek, Johor Jaya, here on Sunday. The victim, once identified as Noor Azlan Khamis, 29, who worked as a storekeeper at a furniture store in Sungai Tiram here, was found by a friend lying lifeless on the sofa in her living room about 6.30pm.

She had earlier gone to a karaoke outlet with some friends, who sent her home about 3am. Later that evening, one of her friends called her but the phone went unanswered.

The friend, who lives in the neighbourhood then went to her house and after peeping through a window, saw the victim lying on the sofa.

Suspecting that something was amiss when she failed to respond to her knocks on the door, the friend entered the unlocked house and found the victim dead in a pool of blood.

He immediately alerted the police.

State Criminal Investigation Department Chief Senior Assistant II Datuk Amer Awal who confirmed the incident said the victim stayed alone in the house.

"Investigations revealed that the victim was murdered between 4am and 7am that Sunday," he said. Amer added that the television and lights in the room were switched on when the victim's body was found. There were no signs of struggle or forced entry.

Amer urged those with information to call the nearest police station or the Johor police hotline at 07-2212999.


I feel uncomfortable, and realize how disturbing it is to install a new entry to the Transgender Day Of Remembrance 2009. But such murders must be exposed for the world to see the bigotry and hatred manifesting itself into such violence. There is a need to continue working on the protection and security for transgenders and gender-non comforming individuals in Malaysia, and worldwide. May this victim rest is peace. We will remember.

Yuki's Choice Reading:
News Straits Times Shows Disappointing Standards Of Professional Journalism When Reporting Transgender Murder.

4 comments:

J.V.New said...

Sorry to hear that too, obviously is a hate crime

Superman said...

That's the reason of her death? I mean she been robbed or what?

Anonymous said...

Dear Ms Choe. media companies have their own house style. I am was previous a reported with NST & realised that "transgender woman" is not their housestyle.Do justice by writting to the editors, instead of critising the journalist.

WKH said...

The crime rate in Malaysia is getting worst by day. One must be careful nowadays out there. The police were outnumbered