Sunday, May 22, 2022

Arbitrary decisions on dress code by guards is the issue, says Ngeh



Arbitrary decisions on dress code by guards is the issue, says Ngeh


Ngeh Koo Ham reminds Adnan Mat that there is no law giving powers to civil servants or guards to deny the public access to government departments based on a dress code.


PETALING JAYA: Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham has told Cuepacs that he was objecting to the questionable way the dress code was being implemented in certain government offices, and not asking for Malaysians to dress indecently when visiting these premises.

Citing examples of arbitrary decisions to deny entrance to the public by security guards at government offices, he said the issue is about denying service to those who purportedly failed to comply with the dress code.


“I have received many complaints from those who were denied entry to government offices by security guards.

“One was from a lawyer whose attire was acceptable in the courts but was denied entry to an education department on the grounds that her knee-length skirt violated the dress code.


“A local television reporter has complained that she was denied entry into a road transport department to renew her road tax on the grounds that she wore a T-shirt and a knee-length skirt,” he said in a statement today.

Ngeh also pointed out that an old man had to return home, located 15km away from a local government office, to change his shorts into long pants before he was allowed to enter and make some payments.

Yesterday, Cuepacs slammed Ngeh for what it claimed was politicising the dress code issue.

Its president Adnan Mat said the dress code requirement is in line with the Rukun Negara.


The umbrella body for civil service unions said asking people to be decently attired when visiting government offices is a reasonable request which no political party should politicise.

Ngeh questioned how civil servants and security guards were given the authority to make these assessments as there was no law giving powers to government officers to prescribe attire for those seeking services at public departments.

He also said Adnan had missed the point on the dress code imposed by departmental heads and had failed to recognise the real problem on the ground affecting the public.

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