Give Muslim cabin crew right to wear 'tudung', says PAS MP

KUALA LUMPUR: Muslim cabin crew should be given the right to don the "tudung" or headscarf, says PAS' Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari.

"I commend the move by the government to lessen discrimination against pregnant women. But how about the right of Muslim women to wear tudung," he said.

Ahmad Fadli then asked if the Malaysia Airlines cabin crew have the right to wear the tudung.

"We are not asking that wearing the tudung be made mandatory but that Muslim women must be allowed to wear if they choose," he said when debating amendments to the Employment (Amendment Bill) Bill 2021 in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (March 21).

He noted that employers who refuse to allow their Muslim women workers the right to wear tudung should be penalised.

Earlier, Ahmad Fadhli suggested that widows should be given 30 days' bereavement leave instead of the current three days.

Last December, Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PN-Kuala Krai) had raised the issue that the uniforms of Malaysian female cabin crew were too "revealing".

He also urged the Family and Community Development Ministry to state its stand on the matter.

However, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun said that the issue of workers’ welfare came under the Human Resources Ministry based on the provisions under the Employment Act.

She also said that the issue of workers' uniforms was governed under the policy of the airline companies which does not require approval from the Cabinet. - Star