Come to work in traditional dress, headgear and all, Sabah civil servants told

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Wilfred Madius Tangau (left) and Upko honorary president Bernard Dompok in traditional costumes at the 2019 Upko Kaamatan celebrations at Telupid over the weekend.

KOTA KINABALU: Civil servants in Sabah are now allowed to come to work dressed in the state’s traditional ethnic costume, Deputy Chief Minister Wilfred Madius Tangau has announced.

He said they are allowed to wear the Busana every Thursday, including full traditional garments such as headgear (the sigar), head scarf and limpogot (waist band).

“It’s Busana, so it means a complete traditional outfit. We try to dress as such as much as possible,” he said.

“Every Thursday, please wear the traditional dress to the office. That’s our culture,” said Tangau.

He said the traditional dress will be accepted as one of the official outfits to wear to the office.

“We have suggested to the government that Sabah’s ethnic costume be made an official dress code at any government official function and on certain days to go to the office,” said the Upko president.

At its delegates conference last year, Upko passed a resolution calling for Sabah’s traditional ethnic costume to be recognised as an official dress code at government events.

The move drew support from Chief Minister Shafie Apdal during a speech at the state-level Harvest Festival on May 31.

Tangau said the move would also promote local products and improve the economy of those directly involved in the making of traditional costumes in Sabah.

Presently, government servants are required to wear the batik to work every Thursday. - FMT