It is Tan Sri Zuki's job, isn't it?

 

That Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali is keeping silent over the recent recurrence of dress code incidents in government premises is simply amusing. 

       The incidences of a member of the public not allowed to enter a government hospital or police station appear to me as something more cynical than just isolated cases. To me, this is a form of politics of distraction.

        The chief secretary to the government appears to be oblivious of the repeated incidents when members of the public were stopped from entering into government premises. 

        About a month ago, a police sentry at the Kajang police station had refused a woman from entering the police station to lodge a report after an accident.

        According to the woman, the sentry would have noticed that she was wearing a Bermuda shorts that covered her knees, but Kajang district police chief Zaid Hassan claimed that the woman was “wearing shorts that were above her knees." This was obviously based on the sentry's feedback.

        In a second incident, a woman was rushed to the hospital after a game of badminton. Instead of treating her, the medical officer commented on her sports attire, and said she had to put on something more decent.

        Although the hospital director had explained that the medical officer went away to look for a sarung, I find this explanation by the director hard to believe. It was more of an afterthought at best.

        The patient was in pain, and if the medical officer had informed her that she would look for some proper attire for her, I am sure the woman would not have taken the trouble to return home just to put on a pair of jeans. 

        In the third case, another woman already in her sixties was denied entry into the upper levels of the Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG) for apparently dressing inappropriately in a “see-through” dress.

       
        In the fourth case, a video has just gone viral, which the hospital director immediately addressed the issue. This is by large the best explanation given by the civil servants. 

My Rebuttals 

        It is clear to me that in all four cases, none of the arguments against improper dress codes holds water. 

        A Bermuda shorts, whether is above or below the knees, is modern dressing for both men and women. For the sake of these "Little Napoleons" (borrowing the term used by former prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi), the Bermuda shorts was the standard uniform of native Bermudian and tea shop owner, Nathaniel Coxon, who wore them to allow more comfort in the heat.  

        That is why it became popular for both men and women in the past, especially those in the army. Young people wear these pants to shopping malls and other places. 

        Today, the Bermuda shorts have also become the acceptable dress code for golfters, both men and women, young and old. Unless dressed scantily, no one, unless a pervert, is going to look lustfully at a woman wearing a pair of Bermuda pants who was denied entry into the Kajang police station. 

Tell me, what's wrong with this pair of Bermuda pants worn by the lady who was denied entry into Kajang police station?

        In the Pasir Gudang case, the woman was over 60 years old. Even if she was wearing a see-through dress, who would even imagine anything else other than just seeing her as a senior citizen? 

        But, why out of a sudden all the brouhaha over the dress code? 

Zuki Ultimately Responsible

         The fact that the dress code originates from the Chief Secretary's office; any wrong interpretation by public servants, the onus is on Mohd Zuki to solve the problem. 

        All eyeballs are now on the chief secretary to see whether he would remain silent, or he knows this is his responsibility and he will do something to resolve the issue; unless of course, even in this instance, he has to wait for the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to instruct him on what to do.

        I guess the most recent incident, which happened at the hospital in Kuantan that he decided to record the incident and viral it. It has also prompted a direct response from constitutional lawyer, GK Ganesan which I will reproduce here. His explanation is clear and precise, and needs no further clarifications. 

        I wish to end this letter with the advice given by Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye:  "I think the chief secretary to the Government should step in and resolve the matter once and for all.The dressing guidelines are all done by his office. Make it clear for all." 

Are We Heading towards Talibanism?

        While this blogpost still circulating, if nothing is done by the chief secretary, another incident happened today (March 3, 2023). 

        According to a report in The Star, another lady was disallowed to enter the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) office in Ipoh. It appears that the SSM even had one officer assigned to supervise the dress code. 

        This appears to me that there is a concerted effort by some political parties to irritate the Malaysian public. With this, we have to ask, "Can we Malaysians afford a state similar to countries that are under the Talibans?" 

        Oh dear, she must be too sexy that her dress code cannot pass the test with the officer at SSM office in Perak. She had to buy a skirt just to comply with the dress code guidelines that were strictly enforced by an overzealous officer. 

        Hmm...maybe it is time for ALL Malaysians to intentionally overwhelm such officers with dress codes that are decent yet not meet the eyes of the gatekeepers. Do like what Mahatma Gandhi did peacefully in India. If a few hundred people do that every day, let's see if this silly practice of enforcing dress codes will continue in our government offices. 

Ditulis oleh seorang penjawat awam: 

Also read this:

https://straight-from-my-desk.blogspot.com/2023/03/a-simple-formula-for-gobind-and-all.html

See what ChatGPT says about Malaysian dress code https://straight-from-my-desk.blogspot.com/2023/03/what-chatgpt-says-about-malaysian-dress.html