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ozens of waria or transvestites took part in the Koran reading contest or Musabaqah Tilawatil Qur'an (MTQ) organized by Yayasan Bina Muda Gemilang (BMG) in Tangerang on Thursday.

The special contest for the transvestites was held in cooperation with the Tangerang regency's Health Agency, AIDS Prevention Commission, the regency's Culture and Tourism agency and Global Funds Aids.

Thirty out a total of 400 transvestites grouped under Tali Ikatan Waria Tangerang (Tiara) joined the contest that was conducted in Cibodas district, Tangerang municipality.

"We could only prepare 30 waria to join the contest because of time constraints," Bambang Sumantri, the chairman of BMG and manager for HIV treatment at Al-Qadr Hospital, said.

The contest finished with a fast breaking ceremony and participants saying tarawih prayers together.

Bambang said the winners of the contest would be sent as the representatives of Tangerang's transvestites at a similar contest to be held at the national level in the future.

"We organized this activity to build the mentality and spirituality of the waria because they remain part of our life and society," he said.

Clad in female Muslim dresses, the waria welcomed the contest, which was the first of its kind ever held in the city.

The organization said some of the waria sometimes found work on the streets while wearing sexy attires. So for some, wearing headscarves was a new experience.

One of the participants, Nurhadi or Neneng, 46, said that by participating in the MTQ activity, he and his fellow transvestites had gained a deeper understanding of Islamic teachings than they did previously.

"Through the MTQ, we can also prove we are capable of embracing our religion, and can read or recite the Koran. The only thing we internalize in our soul and body is a feeling of comfort being a woman instead of a man," he told The Jakarta Post.