This article first appeared in Capital, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on July 29, 2019 - August 4, 2019

Heard of the brouhaha over the recent appointment of Rania Zara Medina to a Malaysian committee for the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CMM)? CMM are national committees that submit funding applications to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.

Truth be told, I was utterly shocked that someone like her was appointed. Now before you startnodding in agreement or alternatively, moving on from the page, hear me out.

I was shocked because for once, the government was publicly being inclusive in its decision-making, and gobsmacked at the appointment of an LGBT individual — a minority that sees considerable active discrimination.

Doing a quick search online, I discovered the following:

• The committee has had a transgender representative since its formation in 2009. Excuse me!

• The Ministry of Health stood its ground and did not back down from Rania’s appointment despite the usual protests from certain moral police groups. Gasp!

• The government has established a Malaysian committee for the CMM. This piece of information genuinely surprised me, proving the old adage that one learns something new every day is true after all.

So yes, I am one of the scores who are truly surprised.

Rania’s appointment is a silver lining in the quest to improve human rights in Malaysia, especially following the uproar and subsequent U-turn by Putrajaya over its initial decision to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

Furthermore, given her insights, her inclusion is likely to result in policies aimed at combating HIV/AIDS that are more nuanced and tailored to the different communities represented on the council.

For me at least, having policies that are inclusive in nature is a good thing, given the fuss about the voices of marginalised communities in this country not being heard when it comes to policymaking.

A relative of mine was blunt about what policymakers think about the opinions of the average Joe. “Arjuna, it does not matter what you think, what matters is what the government thinks!”

What she says is true. I am not in public health, nor have I any experience of it.

However, Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said the Global Fund stipulates that CCM members are made up of 25 people who represent all stakeholders such as government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academicians and community representatives from targeted groups.

The minister said targeted groups include transgender people, men-who-have-sex-with men, female sex workers, drug users and people living with HIV/AIDS.

After all, HIV/AIDS is not a robber that chooses a house to potentially plunder, as anyone can be infected with the disease, even “normal people”.

This is a big step forward for a country where, according to one not so-enlightened publication, a man wearing tight clothing and V-neck T-shirt is an obvious tell-tale sign that he is a homosexual.

If that is the case, under such criteria, a lot of men who frequent our nation’s shopping malls are already suspect.

There has been a lot of talk in Malaysia Baru about appointing people who are qualified for the posts that they take up.

A transgender woman sitting on a committee that maintains oversight over one aspect of her community’s public health is well qualified to do so.

Not appointing her would be our loss as her insights and knowledge of her community’s matters are just as valuable, or, dare I say, even more so than most.

Bluntly put, if we keep disqualifying people from jobs because of their gender identity (even if it changes), we will not go very far.

We end up the poorer for it because having people of different backgrounds allows us different ways of looking at things and solving problems that require multilateral approaches. Let’s move with the times.

Now, if you will excuse me, I need to continue expressing my shock and awe. Gasp!

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