KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian transgender and cosmetic entrepreneur Nur Sajat was arrested by Thai authorities over the alleged possession of an invalid passport, said the Malaysian police.
Criminal Investigations Department chief Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hassan said Nur Sajat was detained at about 6pm on September 8 and brought to a court in Thailand the following day over an immigration offence.
He said the entrepreneur was slapped with a fine.
Jalil added that Nur Sajat is wanted in Malaysia for alleged offences under Section 186 and 353 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant in discharge of his public functions.
“Efforts to repatriate the suspect are actively underway,” he said in a statement today.
Nur Sajat’s arrest in Thailand ends a months-long search after the personality fled the country earlier this year.
The 36-year-old was detained in a luxury condominium unit in Bangkok after Thai authorities received information from their Malaysian counterparts, reported Harian Metro.
The Malay daily quoted a source as saying that Thai immigration had pinpointed Nur Sajat’s location on June 4.
“Nur Sajat was charged in Thai courts on September 9 but was released on a US$2,000 (RM8,381) bail posted by an acquaintance the following day.”
For now, the source said, Nur Sajat is in Bangkok and has been told to check in with the Thai immigration every 14 days.
The daily reported that negotiations to repatriate Nur Sajat are ongoing as the source alleged that there is intervention by certain countries and organisations to prevent that from taking place.
The shariah high court in Kuala Lumpur issued an arrest warrant on February 23 against Nur Sajat for failing to attend proceedings.
The accused was charged with dressing up as a woman at a religious event and bringing Islam into contempt three years ago.
In proceedings on January 6, Nur Sajat was charged with committing the offence at a beauty centre owned by the entrepreneur in Section 16, Shah Alam, at 7.30pm on February 23, 2018.
Nur Sajat was charged under Section 10(a) of the Shariah Crimes (Selangor) Enactment 1995, which provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000, imprisonment not exceeding three years, or both, upon conviction. – The Vibes, September 20, 2021
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