Kelantan slammed over obscurity of dress rules

An academic says such regulations should be well publicised.

PETALING JAYA: An academic has criticised the Kelantan Religious Affairs Department for its failure to publicise rules such as the one that has resulted in the disciplining of a man who exposed his knees in public.

Kamarul Zaman Yusoff of Universiti Utara Malaysia said the state government should have made the rule clear and ensure that the public was well informed of it.

He noted that the shorts-wearing man, Wan Khairul Hayyee Wali, had claimed that he didn’t know about the rule.

“Even I was not aware that it is wrong to wear shorts in Kelantan,” Kamarul told FMT.

Last Monday, the Kelantan religious department ordered Wan Khairul to attend mandatory counselling or pay a RM1,000 fine.

Wan Khairul told reporters he was in shorts because he was on his way to a game of futsal. “Seriously, they don’t expect me to wear a sarong to play futsal,” he was quoted as saying.

He said he would attend the mandatory counselling.

The religious department has defended its move, saying its purpose was to enlighten Wan Khairul, not punish him.

The department’s enforcement chief, Mohd Fadzuli Mohd Zain, said the action was taken under the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code Enactment 1985.

He pointed out that the dress code applied only to Muslims.

He claimed that most people issued with the notice that Wan Khairul got had responded positively.

However, Kamarul said wearing shorts to play futsal did not disturb public peace. “We see people wearing shorts to play football everywhere,” he said. “So it is normal.”

Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim, who is now a DAP member, gave a similar opinion and suggested that Wan Khairul seek a lawyer’s advice. He offered his assistance.

“Those who need to go for counselling are usually those with family problems,” he said. “Is wearing shorts considered a problem too?” -FMT