THE subject of transvestites and prostitution kept the House enthralled for about 20 minutes during Question Time.

It started with a question from Dr Lo' Lo' Mohamad Ghazali (Pas-Titiwangsa) who wanted to know about the kind of assistance given to social escorts and transvestites who had returned to the right path, followed by a question by Mohd Nizar Zakaria (BN-Parit) on the measures taken to eradicate prostitution in the country.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Noriah Kasnon said although her ministry had no direct dealings with tranvestite groups, it had worked closely with non-governmental organisations that carried out rehabilitation programmes.

She said some transvestites were integrated back into society and learned skills such as sewing, making handicrafts and attending make-up courses to support themselves.

"Although their number is small, there are those who were successfully rehabilitated."

Noriah said the reason why transvestites returned to their old ways after attending rehabilitation programmes was because of their low self-esteem.

She said this group of people were shy because of the social stigma attached to them.

"It is very hard for these people to change even with all the support and help from the ministry."

Noriah urged companies to include this marginalised group in their corporate social responsibility programmes.

To Mohd Nizar's question, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said the police and state Islamic Religious Department had been trying to eradicate prostitution through various means.

He said from 2003 to 2008, 6,357 foreign and 1,004 local prostitutes were detained in 8,893 anti-vice operations known as Ops Noda.

Of the number, 442 were underaged.