Transsexual worries for safety after negative reactions to ‘marriage’

By CHOI TUCK WO

LONDON: Malaysian transsexual Mohammed Fazdil Min Bahari is afraid to return home due to the negative reactions over her marriage to a Briton.

She has received a lot of negative e-mails and comments from people, some even accusing her of insulting the Malaysian government.

Mohammed Fazdil or Fatine, said she felt frustrated that people did not understand she had come to the United Kingdom because she wanted to be with the man she loved.

She added that she could not do that in Malaysia and people in the country seemed to be taking a religious point of view over the matter.

“I am so frightened to go back. I am worried for my safety,” she said in response to what she claimed was the inaccurate portrayal of their love story by a Malay tabloid which caused the negative reactions.

Controversial ‘marriage’: Mohammed Fazdil or Fatine and Young posing for a photo after they were married in a civil partnership in the UK last May.

Speaking up for the first time after The Sun newspaper in London broke the story, Fatine said she did not know what to do as her family had already disowned her.

“I’ve spent hours on the phone asking for forgiveness. I love them but I can’t change what has happened,” said the 36-year-old makeup artist.

Fatine said it was a shame that the article had twisted their story as it was never their intention to insult the Malay community.

“They also put my father’s name in it, which was unnecessary and my mother is now afraid to leave the house,” she added.

Fatine also said that she understood that the Malays were very traditional and that “people like me aren’t acceptable”, but she hoped things would cool down eventually.

Fatine, who married Ian Young in a civil partnership in May, faces deportation back to Malaysia after her Leave to Remain visa was rejected by the Home Office over an “incorrect” photograph.

A second application with a passport photograph with a white background as required, instead of blue, was submitted for reconsideration but it was also thrown out in October.

The pair has just submitted their third application for a Right to Family Life under the Human Rights Act in Britain.

On Monday, Immigration director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman said the department might take action against Fatine when she returned home as it viewed problems like overstaying seriously.

Young, 30, however, maintained that Fatine’s application was still being processed by the UK Border Agency and she should not be classified as an overstayer.

“All we want is to be married, happy and living together.

“The only way we can do this is over here in the UK,” said Young, who runs a property maintenance company.

He said the article also made it sound like they were trying to make a mockery of Muslim laws, which was never their intention.

“As a result of the way we have been portrayed, I now feel that we would be in more danger than ever if we were to try and live in Malay-sia,” he added.