MP wants policy on shariah-compliant dressing

Muslim female employees find it hard to practise their faith at work, says PAS' Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff.

DEWAN RAKYAT

PAS MP Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff says there is a need to have clear policies to enable Muslim women to practise their faith. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: A PAS MP has urged the government to introduce a policy that, among others, will require employers to allow shariah-compliant dressing for Muslim women workers.

Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang) said shariah-compliant dressing should apply to both public and private sectors.

“The new government must come up with clear policies that include rules that are shariah-compliant.

“This will allow Muslim women at work to practise their faith,” she said when debating the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat.

She claimed that Muslim women were finding it challenging to find a work environment that would allow them to abide by Islamic teachings.

“I notice that many Muslim women at work are finding it difficult to dress in shariah-compliant attire. They want to do so but are deterred from doing so by their employers.

“This includes air stewardesses who are often ‘forced’ to dress in non-shariah-compliant attire.

“Some of them whom I met (when I was travelling) told me that they have no choice but not to wear a headscarf as they are not allowed to,” she said.

Siti Zailah claimed that the air stewardesses she spoke to said they had to follow the rules at work as they needed to earn a living.

“I am hearing that Muslims today are finding it hard to even exercise their rights in practising the faith, where some quarters have even suggested for the Friday prayers to be done on Saturday.

“What is becoming of our children today?” she said.

Siti Zailah was previously reported as saying that women can prevent sexual crimes by not wearing short pants and skimpy dresses.

She had said that indecent dressing had become a norm among young women in Malaysia.

She had also called for the former government to consider enacting laws to prevent women from wearing indecent clothing to prevent sexual crimes.

Meanwhile, Siti Zailah also took Pakatan Harapan ministers to task for no longer being vocal about Muslim rights.

She asked if they had forgotten their fight now that they were in decision-making positions.

“Where have they gone to? What happened to these ministers who used to fight for Muslim rights?

“Is it because they now have positions (in the government), and therefore they have become silent?

“I urge them to come forward and fulfil their responsibilities and continue to defend Muslims. Do what has been ordered by God,” she said. - Mkini