KUALA LUMPUR – The Public Service Department (PSD) will be enhancing training programmes for counter staff to ensure they are familiar with public dress codes accepted in government buildings.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shafiq Abdullah said dress codes at government departments were set to ensure harmony and mutual well-being, which is in line with the fifth Rukun Negara principle – Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan.
“Dress codes are also practised at government departments in Japan, the United Kingdom and Australia as well as Asean countries such as the Philippines and Thailand.
“To ensure the delivery of public services to members of Keluarga Malaysia is always relevant, the PSD through department heads will continue to enhance training programmes for counter staff and spread awareness on the existing customer dress codes,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Shafiq also called on the public to use the digital platforms available for certain public services.
“Members of Keluarga Malaysia can access end-to-end services through the MyGovernment portal and the Government Online Services Gateway (GOS Gateway).”
This comes amid several cases of over-policing of dress codes that resulted in some members of the public being denied entry into government buildings.
Early this month, a woman was denied entry by a security guard who found her long skirt too “provocative and revealing”.
Lawyer Norman Fernandez had claimed that his wife Leni was denied entry into the Johor government building for wearing inappropriate clothing as determined by the guard on duty.
He said the guard insisted that non-Muslims looking to enter the building should don clothing that reached the ankles or long pants to be allowed in. – The Vibes, May 24, 2022
