MALE sex workers have allegedly invaded a popular district in Riffa to prowl for gay customers, prompting one MP to claim that prostitution was “just as criminal” as terrorism.
The claims have resulted in parliament giving the green light to a debate on combating sleaze in Bahrain next Tuesday.
It approved the measure yesterday after 14 MPs, representing a cross-section of parliamentary blocs and independents, submitted an urgent request to tackle the issue.
“There is public demand that we tackle the matter and I am here asking my colleagues to support me, as we fight these enemies – who are just as criminal as drug dealers and terrorists,” said MP Jamal Dawood, who is spearheading the anti-sleaze campaign.
Officials from the Interior Ministry and the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry will be summoned to attend next Tuesday to highlight existing strategies.
“We have to praise policemen, who are patrolling the country and doing their best to fight sleaze and prostitution, but such acts have got out of hand,” said Mr Dawood.
“But Bahrain’s reputation is at stake.
“We are steadily working towards family tourism, but anyone going online can see a wide range of prostitutes – male and female – promoting themselves directly or through pimps.”
Some MPs opposed the call for an open debate on prostitution – with parliament’s legislative and legal affairs committee vice-chairman Khaled Al Shaer saying the problem had been exaggerated.
“It is just 0.01 per cent of the community that is involved in such acts,” he said.
“There is no widespread problem for it to be considered an issue and the ministries concerned are dealing with scores of individuals, not even in the hundreds.
“When we had an open debate on traffic jams and flooding it was an issue that had affected on a wide scale, but I don’t see any urgency or even a case for this.”
However, among those in favour of the debate was MP Anas Buhindi, who claimed male prostitutes were openly cruising for gay customers in a popular area of West Riffa.
“I will not speak about Hoora, Gudaibiya or Juffair (which are known for prostitution), I will speak about my area Bukawara in West Riffa,” he said.
“It is seeing an influx of male prostitutes driving in circles on the main commercial avenue to attract attention.
Punched
“Normal prostitution has died in a way, it is now the era of homosexuality.
“There has been one incident in which someone came from his home in Bukawara and started punching the she-males, who cried out in a feminine way – but a few days later came back again, this time more of them.
“It is not just 0.01pc (of the population), it is much more – and for that officials concerned have to come here and tell us what’s really going on.”
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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