Speaker Ng Suee Lim has stood by his warning to Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong for wearing a white blazer to the Selangor state assembly, arguing that it was a matter of discipline.
Ng has also denied targeting Wong or attempting to police what female representatives wore.
"I have to reiterate that I was not targeting her, and I am not targeting women. I respect women, there is no such issue of regulating what women wear.
“Please don't distort the issue. This is about respect to the assembly, we should uphold our discipline.
"[...] If I was targeting her, I would have barred her from entering the assembly hall. But I didn't do that,” he told Malaysiakini when contacted today.
Ng highlighted how he had similarly censured Taman Templer assemblyperson Mohd Sany Hamzan for wearing a baju Melayu - instead of a lounge suit - during the previous state assembly sitting.
This comes after Wong criticised him for reprimanding her about her outfit yesterday, rather than paying attention to what she had to say.
Wong, a three-term assemblyperson, had stressed that there was no prior notice stating female assemblypersons had to wear dark-coloured blazers.
She also shared images of her donning the same white blazer at the state assembly in 2016, 2017 and 2018 with no issue.
“In this day and age, why is it men still have to determine how a woman legislator dresses?” she had remarked.
Obey my rulings
After issuing the warning, Ng had ruled that both men and women could only don dark-coloured blazers from now on.
Ng, who was appointed to his role last June, stressed that his ruling was binding.
“We don't want the public to think that we are not serious. The colourful clothes will make the state assembly look like a fashion show.
"I am the speaker, I have made the ruling, and I hope that everyone will respect my decision," he said.
Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah remarked that Ng’s ruling was “disappointing” and that there was no such ruling for dress codes even in the federal parliament.
“It is not the duty and responsibility of the speaker to police dressing.
“Rather, it is more important for an assemblyperson to show her or his professionalism and effectiveness to engage in legislative matters,” Maria said in a statement today.
“It is mind-boggling to think that the colour of one’s jacket, in this case a white jacket, would be so distracting that it prevents legislators from doing their job.
“[...] If we look at the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, MPs and senators are allowed to come dressed in other colours besides black and dark colours, especially for women MPs wearing baju kurung,” Maria added.
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