Mohamed Aziz, from the ruling National Front coalition, told parliament he had
met a transvestite from Brunei who said he moved to Malaysia because the rules
here were more lenient.
"He told me that in Brunei, prostitutes would be whipped," he said, according
to the Star daily.
"If we can impose whipping for drug addicts, why can't we do the same for
prostitutes," he said in a proposal that was supported by at least one other
lawmaker.
Malaysia's government is considering introducing tougher laws against
prostitution amid concerns over an influx of foreign sex workers who are using
tourist visas to enter the country.
Deputy internal security minister Johari Baharum has said that over 15 500
foreign women were arrested for prostitution from 2004 to July 2006, including
more than 6 000 from China, 4 596 from Indonesia, 2 613 from Thailand and 1 316
from the Philippines.
Women from Vietnam, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, India, Myanmar, Russia, Laos and
Cambodia also come to Malaysia to engage in the sex trade, he said.
Prostitution is illegal in the predominantly Muslim nation.
