Malaysia's Transport Ministry tells guards to drop dress code enforcement

PETALING JAYA — Security guards with the Transport Ministry will no longer be allowed to tell the public visiting its offices or agencies how to dress.

Its deputy minister, Abdul Aziz Kaprawi, said this yesterday (June 25) following the “sarong” controversy at the Road Transport Department (RTD) in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur, on June 8.

In the incident, a woman wearing a skirt covering just above her knees was asked to wrap herself with a sarong.

Mr Abdul Aziz said the ministry had come to a consensus earlier this week that security guards, including those from Rela, would no longer be allowed to instruct the public to cover up.

“Whether the public adhere to a dress code, or are wearing appropriate clothing, will be assessed by the government officers working at the counters, not the security guards,” he told Malay Mail.

He said the RTD officers would use their discretion on the issue of appropriate clothing, and would take on a “softer” approach when a dress code violation was noted.

“We will advise and educate the public about the dress code,” he said.

The Rela security officer involved in the June 8 incident, Ms Tazidamiza Ismail, said she was merely “following instructions”.

Mr Abdul Aziz declined to comment on the incident, saying the matter was being handled by RTD director-general Ismail Ahmad.

Mr Ismail could not be reached for comments, while RTD enforcement director Jaafar Mohamed declined to elaborate “since the department had issued a public apology”. THE MALAY MAIL ONLINE