Mother's request to release arrested transgender daughter ignored

A West Jakarta official has admitted to ignoring the requests of a mother who sought the release of her arrested transgender daughter from a social house.

Duri Kosambi subdistrict head Irwansyah Alam admitted to wartakota.tribunnews.com that he refused to sign and tore up an official document after one of his residents, Tarnisem, last week requested to take her transgender daughter Ahmad Sehu, also known as Neneng, out of city-owned social house Bina Insan Bangun Daya 1 in Kedoya after Neneng had been arrested by city officials.

“I tore the document so that [Tarnisem] and others wouldn't misuse it,” Irwansyah said on Monday, “Just let [Neneng] spend some more time in the social house to create a deterrent effect [to being transgender].”

Neneng was arrested while drinking coffee at a small stall in Cengkareng on her way home from a beauty salon in Glodok where she worked.

“Neneng is the only one who earns money in my family,” Tarnisem said, while noting that it took her three days to complete all the administrative requirements to finally be able to take Neneng out of the social house.

“I visited him [Irwansyah] twice to ask him to sign the letter. On Thursday [March 1], he tore the letter while saying, ‘I don’t want to handle this kind of problem’,” Tarnisem said.

The following day, Tarnisem received help from an officer from Cengkareng district and eventually got the desired letter signed by an official. She completed all the administrative requirements and was reunited with Neneng by the afternoon of March 5.

An officer of the social house, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that Neneng had just left the social house with her mother. (vla)