Daily Times

A Malaysian social media movie star’s go to to Mecca has prompted outrage in Malaysia after she posted pictures of her pilgrimage to social media.

Nur Sajat, 33, shared photos of herself sporting feminine prayer apparel and make-up at a few of Islam’s holiest websites, together with the Grand Mosque of Mecca.

Sajat, who has an Instagram following over over 1.four million, has lengthy been the topic of controversy over her gender identification. The contemporary furore, nevertheless, has even drawn the ire of Malaysia’s spiritual affairs minister.

“I remorse her actions, and it was marketed on Instagram as if it was not an offence,” Minister for Islamic Affairs Mujahid Yusof Rawa was quoted by Sinar Harian as saying, referring to Sajat’s donning of feminine garments for the pilgrimage.

Datuk Seri Mujahid said he made the request to ban Ms Sajat to Internet regulator Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) at a meeting on Monday (Feb 3) in his office in Putrajaya.

Ms Sajat raised a huge ruckus among Muslims in Malaysia by dressing up in women’s prayer clothes in Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities in Saudi Arabia.

The Internet was set alight in Malaysia after pictures and videos of the 34-year-old entrepreneur wearing a white women’s prayer garb in Mecca, and a black outfit in Medina, were posted on her social media accounts. The postings attracted more than 5,000 comments, mostly condemning her decision on wearing the women’s clothes.

The minister said on Monday that Ms Sajat’s actions could tarnish Malaysia-Saudi Arabia ties as it is an offence for a man to dress like a woman in the conservative Islamic kingdom.

Accompanying the controversy on social media was a copy of her alleged passport showing what is apparently her current picture with the name Muhammad Sajjad Kamaruz Zaman, and stating her gender as male.