Tuesday December 5, 2006
Shahrizat: Dress code is disrespectful and undermines women’s capabilities
Update from The Star Newsdesk
KUALA LUMPUR: The latest dress code ruling in Kelantan is disrespectful and undermines women’s capabilities.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said she is appalled at the no sexy clothes ruling in Kelantan.
The state government, she said, should instead focus on how it can help the development of women instead of concentrating on flimsy issues such as dress codes.
“Why are they focusing on dressing issues when they should be thinking about how they can help women in Kelantan excel and develop fur ther, both in education and entrepreneurship?” she told The Star at the Parliament lobby Tuesday in commenting on its front-page report.
The Kota Baru Municipal Council had warned that both Muslim and non-Muslim women working in retail out lets and restaurants in Kelantan should take note of their dress ing or risk being fined.
The council said it would be conducting spot checks and women who flouted its guidelines could be fined up to RM500, Several women's organisations reacted with outrage.
Shahrizat said creating such a ruling will in the end back-fire on the Kelantan government.
“In the end, Kelantanese women will object to it," she warned.
“It is so disrespectful to the women there. The ruling makes it seem like women cannot decide for themselves what they should or should not wear and need the government to help them decide.
“It just goes to show what kind of government they are.”
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