Reactions to strict dress code advisory to non-Muslim women in Malaysia

Producer: Yvonne Gomez
First broadcast: 9 January 04, Radio Singapore International

Malaysia's Teregganu state has issued an advisory to non-Muslim women that discourages them from wearing mini-skirts and figure-hugging dresses to work.

How likely are the women to adhere to this? Yvonne Gomez finds out in this report.

Terengganu state is run by the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia, or PAS, and it has come under fire before for its strict Islamic hudud laws.

When I spoke to Mr Nasharudin Mat Isa, Secretary-General of PAS, he said that the advisory was only meant to ask non-Muslim women to respect their
Muslim colleagues by dressing more modestly.

Not surprisingly, women's groups in Malaysia are concerned about the impact that this will have on women's rights.

For a reaction to this new plan, Yvonne Gomez also spoke to Ms Manohary Subramaniam, Programmes Manager at the All Women's Action Society in Malaysia.

MS: You know, respect an understanding has been the basis of keeping people united in a multi-racial country like Malaysia. Futhermore, this kind of ruling also imposes the values of a particular religion onto another, which is a violation of a person's basic human right to religion and its practices. We respect what one religion's practices are, like in this case, the Muslim religion. And if this is the understanding and what the Muslim religion practises, then we respect it. But to impose that on people of other faiths and religion, is a very unfair demand, because this is where problems will be created within the religious and inter-faith harmony that we have now.

YG: What has been the reaction of non-Muslim women in Kuala Terengganu, do you know?

MS: No, we don't know their reaction, but generally the reaction of non-Muslim women - definitely they are upset, because they (PAS) are imposing the practices of one religion onto another. If this is the Muslim practice, then it shouldn't be imposed on non-Muslims, definitely. That's a violation of the basic right of a human being.

YG: Now, if I can just touch on the politics of it?with the elections coming up and with this latest development, do you think the PAS can be trusted to respect the non-Muslim communities in Malaysia, although they've said that they will respect the ways of life of the non-Muslims in areas where it holds power?

MS: We are not sure how far they are going to take this suggestion, and whether it's just a suggestion or whether it's already a practice. Whatever it is, it's not right for anyone to impose it onto someone from another religion. What we have asked, as the All Women's Action Society - our request is that the decision be abolished with immediate effect, as a mark of respect for women and their rights, and for inter-faith, racial and religious harmony, that they rethink their suggestion. In fact, rethink is actually not the right word. They should not even have had such a suggestion. We're not sure how far this can go, and how far it is true before we can say that we cannot trust the PAS government, because it's hasn't been implemented yet, and we are just going by the suggestion made. We always want to nip things in the bud. So if it's just a suggestion that's been put forward, we would like that suggestion to be nipped in the bud and not discuss it any further. Because we don't want to take the chance ofwaiting, and see it happen, and only then protest. We maybe overreacting but then we do not also want to take the chance of seeing it implemented, of waiting until it's too late to react.

Dr Khoo Kay Khim from Universiti Malaya feels that PAS should try to highlight Islam's positive aspects, instead of always issuing or advising restrictions and prohibitions.

KKK: Like many other religions, those who preach the Islamic religion should also concentrate on the more philosophical aspects of the religion. I think there is too much of a tendency to speak in terms of what cannot be done, and not sufficient emphasis given to what ought to be done. Why not emphasise more that Islam has to do with the idea of peace, that Islam has to do with charity, with being good to people. I cannot see that Parti Islam is doing itself any good by continually causing grave concerns among non-Muslims. It doesn't matter what dressing decently or indecently means. There is too much emphasis on prohibitions. There will be even more opposition to ideas like that.