MAB apologises to pink shorts passenger over dress code incident at KLIA

Passenger Wilson Ng was denied entry to the Lost and Found Department at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) as his pink, knee-length shorts were deemed inappropriate by airport authorities. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, June 27, 2015.Malaysia Airports Bhd has apologised to a Malaysian traveller who was subjected to strict dress code requirements at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), saying that the airport authority did not impose such regulations on passengers.

Instead, MAB said that the dress code only applied to members of the public requesting visitor passes to enter the terminal on official visits or for work purposes.

In the incident last month, businessman Wilson Ng returned from a holiday abroad and forgot his baggage at the airport.

He returned to KLIA the following day but was denied entry into the Lost and Found Department on the pretext that his pink, knee-length shorts were not appropriate.

In a blog posting, Ng said he was then told to wear a pair of pants and shoes provided to him by the security officer, which he wore to gain entry.

In a statement today, MAB said it regretted the dress code requirement that had arisen for Ng.

"We would like to extend our sincerest apologies to Mr Ng for any inconvenience caused during the incident.

"It is our hope that Mr Wilson Ng will have a joyful experience at any of our airports during his next visit," MAB said.

Incidents of dress code impositions have made headlines in the past weeks, beginning when a Road Transport Department guard caused a storm on social media for ordering a woman who had gone to the department’s Gombak office to wear a sarong.

The women had worn a skirt that ended above her knees.

On June 16, another woman was told to cover her legs before she was allowed into the Sungai Buloh hospital.

She was not given a sarong to wear but wrapped herself in a blanket from the hospital.

About a week later, two women were barred from entering the Selangor government headquarters in Shah Alam because they were wearing skirts that ended above their knees.

The RTD and hospital issued apologies to the women involved in the three incidents after they attracted public scorn, including from former ministers.