Najib says fine will create unease among the Malaysians.
06 Dec 2006
In Putra Jaya today, Datuk Seri Najib Razak joined a growing list of politicians to express his views over the decision by the Kota Baru Municipal Council to impose fines on Muslim and non-Muslim women working in the retail outlets and restaurants who wore clothes deemed to be revealing.
He said, “Such a ruling would only create uneasiness among the people. We are already facing problems in terms of interpretation on what constitutes indecent dressing. This (move) will only create uneasiness and unhappiness among certain quarters or groups. They (the council) should not get overly excited to act based on their own interpretation. It would curtail individual freedom”.
Meanwhile in KOTA BARU, Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has defended the move saying it will help protect their virtue. The customs, culture and religious values of Kelantan should be respected by women working in such businesses when in public.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said she was appalled. She said the state government should instead focus on how it can help women progress instead of concentrating on flimsy issues such as dress codes.” She said this when asked to comment on a daily’s front-page report.
Another woman leader to give her opinion was Wanita MCA chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen who said, “Once again Kelantan has come out with a policy to target the women. If men wear tight fitting jeans, is that not deemed sexy? Why is it only the women are targeted, so much so that the ruling covers non-Muslim women as well?”
All parties think their opinion is the right one and most beneficial to the women in the retail outlets and restaurants in Kota Baru. In the final analysis, it is these same women who will determine whether this ruling will be successfully implemented by giving it their full support or otherwise.
