Tanjung Bungah rep appoints transgender as political secretary
(The Star) – The newly-appointed political secretary of Tanjung Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu hopes that her appointment to such a post would pave the way of equal treatment for the transgender community.
Hezreen Shaik Daud, 33, a transgender, admitted feeling nervous but excited at the same time when she officially begins work on Monday.
“I am grateful to YB for offering this job to me and I am looking forward to the challenge.
“It is difficult for us to be hired by companies so I hope that with my appointment, we can show that we are as capable in our work as others,” she said when contacted on Friday.
Hezreen, formerly employed as a project officer with the Penang Family Health Development Association, said certain companies had refused to employ her as they were worried that she would not be able to fit in to the working place, which has male employees.
“I am asking to just please give me a chance and I will try my best at work.
“We need the acceptance as we are also human. We want to be treated the same as the others.
“YB had offered a job to me early this year and again last month. He explained to me the duties and job scope as a political secretary so I would understand better,” said Hezreen who speaks Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mandarin and Hokkien.
The former Heng Ee High School student said she had worked with Teh on several projects since she was in the association.
She holds a diploma in Information Technology from Informatics College.
Though she also hopes to open her own fashion boutique selling bags and shoes of her designs, Hezreen said she would continue working for Teh as long as she can.
She was appointed by Teh to be his political secreatary and also to oversee the transgender community welfare.
In the recent Penang State Assembly, Teh had said (transgender) community were a discriminated lot and requested for a special committee be set up to look into their issues and problems.
Teh could not be reached for comments at press time.
State Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Chong Eng could not be reached too.
