Umno is pleased that the Federal Court has allowed it to hold a watching brief in the Negeri Sembilan government’s appeal against the Court of Appeal judgment upholding the right of transgenders to cross-dress

Umno's legal secretariat chief Khairul Anwar Rahmat said this was the first time the Federal Court has allowed the nationalist Malay party to be hold a watching brief in a case.

It is the right decision by the apex court to allow Umno to do so, he said, since the party represents three million Muslims and they have direct interests in cases related to the position of Islam and the sanctity of the religion.

The Negeri Sembilan government is appealing the Court of Appeal declaration in November last year that Section 66 of the state’s Syariah Criminal Enactment, which bars males from cross-dressing in public, is unconstitutional, null and void.

Added Khairul, a lawyer who is heading the Umno team: "As the main party of BN at the federal level, we have a valid interest in this appeal before the Federal Court.

"It is not Umno's intention to discriminate the transgender community but we would like to give the correct perspective in this case."

He said the matter was a constitutional as well as a human rights issue on the position of Islam as the religion of the federation and whatever decision is made would shape the legal landscape of the country.

Umno was not present when the matter was heard by the High Court in Seremban, nor at the appeal before the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya.