Malaysian Islamic court sends 4 Muslim men to jail for cross-dressing

An official says an Islamic court in northern Malaysia has jailed four Muslim men for taking
part in a transvestite beauty pageant.

Mohamad Abdul Aziz Mohamad Noor, a senior official in the Islamic department in Kelantan state, says the men were sentenced to seven days in jail and given a 1,000 ringgit (US$310) fine Sunday after they pleaded guilty to cross-dressing.

He says the men were arrested together with 11 others on Friday for participating in the beauty pageant at a resort.

Mohamad Abdul Aziz said Monday that the others are expected to be charged next month.

Malaysia has both Islamic and secular courts. Sariah courts administer civil matters for Muslims, who make up more than 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people.(**)