Wan Abdul Wahid bin Wan Hassan proudly clutching a sharia-based legal document

Malay Muslim Wan Abdul Wahid bin Wan Hassan is currently serving as the deputy president of the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council. He presides over affairs related to Islam and the culture at large – specifically, how to make the culture at large in line with Islam. Hassan’s current target? Crossdressers and anyone who could pass for a crossdresser, including screamo fans and female hipsters.

“Previously, when it came to cross-dressing, [we] only detained and advised them to change their behavior,” Hassan stated. “However, such activities have become rampant, forcing the council to introduce a more severe punishment.” So there are more female hipsters… sure, hipsters are a blight upon society, but that doesn’t mean they should face legal penalties. What was the “more severe punishment” Hassan mentioned? Up to a year behind bars. Yep, in certain regions of Malaysia, you can get jailed for a year just for dressing in drag.

The prohibition on gender-bending isn’t the only sharia encroachment Hassan is to blame for. Recently, the regional law was changed to encompass both family and sharia law under one act, resulting in the two being able to be enforced together and by the same agencies. “Earlier, when both family and sharia criminal law were under the same enactment, there was confusion involving its enforcement and implementation,” Hassan commented. “Now, with the new law in place, it will allow enforcement personnel to carry out their duties effectively to combat immoral activities, such as khalwat (close proximity between genders), consuming alcohol and not fasting during Ramadan.” Yes, because choosing not to do something unhealthy is immoral. As for khalwat – now that’s some seventh-century crap right there. So dudes can’t be around chicks and they can’t be chicks. I guess dudes being around dudes is the only option – yet I get the feeling Hassan isn’t too friendly toward gays either.

Folks, this is what happens when you allow sharia to integrate itself into a nation’s legal fabric. It will slowly encroach, gradually overtaking previous laws and permissions until the entire society is forced to live under it. We must not allow this to happen in the west.