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you. Don’t sit beside you. And then, your disease I will also get”. I [was]upset. I kept silent. Never mind. That is just a small child, cannot scoldhim/her”)(Female, 44yrs, No formal education, Infected Partner)There were accounts of stigmatization from family members, and for a few, this wasenough reason to decide to move away:“I yang paling kecil hati (truly upset) sekali adik beradik I sendiri(especially at my own siblings). My, my brother...erm...organised awedding, the daughter’s wedding in Johor Bharu. I was not invited. Justbecause they don’t want me to be in their car”(Transgender, 53yrs, Upper secondary education, SW)“Especially, there are some relatives who are not….don’t understandmuch about HIV. When they come to the house, they saw you, they are soscared that you will go and carry their children. They will ask theirchildren “don’t go near Uncle XXX ah…Uncle XXX is HIV person”.This is very embarrassing. I can’t scold because the result is alreadyproven. I have to accept the fact. I think that’s why we have to leave thehouse. Sometimes, is not like the parents chase you away from house.My parents are very understanding, just my relatives”(Male, 49yrs, University education, DU)“Anak buah sampai pernah I dengar. I dalam bilik I, tau. My sister isstaying in one bungalow in Melawati. I overheard my nephew told mysister, Mak, uncle tu ada HIV. Takkan nak tidur sini, nanti berjangkit.You know, how do you feel? Your own nephew.”(“I heard it before from my kin, I was in my room, you know. My sister isstaying in one bungalow in Melawati. I overheard my nephew tell mysister, “Mother, that uncle has HIV. Surely, [we’re] not sleeping here?Then, [we’ll] be infected”. You know, how do you feel? Your ownnephew”.)(Transgender, 53yrs, Upper secondary eduction, SW)However, stigma can be conveniently forgotten if it serves a purpose – a family inKelantan had arranged a marriage for their son despite knowing he was drug dependentand concealing it from the prospective bride and her family. Although he later passed onHIV to his wife, their two daughters are not infected. He subsequently died leaving her, ahousewife with lower secondary education, to fend for the family. Fortunately, shealways had the support of her own family members, notably, her mother. It was hermother to whom she first disclosed the result of her HIV test after her husband’s death.In fact, drug users feel they face discrimination from society because of their drugdependence, and HIV is ancillary to those existing negative perceptions:“Salah satu sebab…actually kalau orang kampung ni kebanyakkan diatengok pula, macam HIV, dia nampak pada negative behaviour tadi.Contoh, macam institut penagihan…penagih dadah. So, dia tak nampak83