Much ado about nothing: Netizens query why the big fuss over UM dress code

 

SOCIAL media was abuzz with comments, opinions and debate surrounding Universiti Malaya’s recently announced dress code. The move clearly stipulates what is considered acceptable dressing while on campus and has been met with opposition from student groups.

These student groups are reportedly against the idea as it gives broad powers to staff to admonish students, which they fear could lead to abuse and victimisation.

More pertinently, it was pointed out that the varsity’s administration should be looking at the myriad of issues affecting students and the quality of education. Examples highlighted include module registration issues, traffic flow, accommodation and outdated facilities.

It was said that there should be more focus on such pressing matters than “trivial issues” of dress codes.

Unsurprisingly, media reports on this issue prompted a flurry of responses on social media.

Of course, there were those who sought to politicise the issue and lay the blame at the door of DAP, claiming that the party was responsible for constantly causing racial discord. One such netizen is X (formerly known as Twitter) user @biker2baker.

To which many netizens retorted that this was a tired tactic.

With few highlighting PAS shenanigans in disrupting racial harmony.

Another netizen highlighted that it was indeed the right of students to freely express their views.

Another X user @10befirend highlighted the same issue but found it perplexing that such rules were still mandated in this day and age.

The post was met with a flurry of comments, with some highlighting that this dress code is rarely if ever, enforced.

Quite a few did ask what the big deal was, as they felt the dress code seemed reasonable and designed to be comfortable.

One comment that seems to be made by an actual UM student hits the nail on the head, citing poor facilities as a major issue that needed fixing.

Enough netizens recognised that the issue was being manipulated to further certain agendas.

A number of netizens did say there was nothing wrong with such dress codes.

However, the issue does highlight a very clear clash in cultural ideology which seems to be dominating the narrative on both mainstream and social media.

While some saw it as necessary to keep things “modest”, one netizen obviously saw such a dress code as draconian and impinging on civil liberties with a picture of Josef Stalin.

The lively discussion highlighted a few issues surrounding this dress code at varsities.

Firstly, while many said some decorum is required in the halls of learning, it is obvious that enough citizens are worried that the imposition of these rules in places such as hospitals and government offices is just a subtle form of cultural domination.

Secondly, as pointed out by a few netizens, the issue has been politicised and used to cause further schisms in an already fractured society.

Thirdly, a fair few who seem to be speaking from first-hand experience state that there are many more pressing issues that need addressing at these varsities.

Last but not least, FocusM would like to highlight that this dress code issue seems far less important than the continued misrepresentation  of historical facts at the venerated UPM. The fact that this issue gets less traction than the imposition of a dress code underlines just what is wrong with Malaysian society. – Focus Malaysia