PUTRAJAYA: Genderwise, ‘Sajat’, or Muhammad Sajjad Kamaruz Zaman is still a male, as stated on his identity card (IC), says Deputy Minister in the Prime Ministers’ Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary.

       He said, in Malaysia, the gender of every individual is based on the information stated on the IC.

       "His gender is what is stated in the IC (issued) in our country, and that is what we use.

       "The identity card is a valid document in this country to determine his (Sajat's) gender whichever country or place he chooses to determine his gender, we do not interfere,” he said to reporters after launching a book titled ‘Manual Komuniti Hijrah’ (Lesbians and Gays) here on Wednesday (Feb 23).

       On Tuesday (Feb 22), the media reported that Muhammad Sajjad shared a post on her Instagram, saying that he had legally changed his gender status to a woman in Australia.

       He is being pursued by authorities in Malaysia after an arrest warrant was issued following his failure to appear in court to face charges for dressing as a woman at the Shah Alam Syariah High Court.

       In June last year, police sought Sajat to help in an investigation into a fraud case involving a change of identity card information at the Ampang Jaya Court. - Bernama