‘Respect’ is the answer to dress code controversy

 

From Francis KH Lim

I find it mildly amusing that as our country’s economy stutters, an intense debate is raging on dress codes. For want of anything more meaningful, let me chime in.

Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham, who brought the issue to the fore recently, makes a valid point.

Government departments have no legal basis to deny members of the public any type of service on account of what they wear. There are simply no laws which prescribe the proper attire to be worn by persons dealing with government agencies.

For Cuepacs president Adnan Mat and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to fall back on the Rukun Negara to justify the enforcement of dress codes at government offices is to clutch at straws.

As Ngeh has correctly put it, government offices that enforce a dress code are acting “arbitrarily”, that is to say outside the scope of their strict legal powers.

On top of that, there is no uniformity whatsoever. Each department simply imposes its own understanding of what is or is not proper attire. Even worse, the strictness of the “code” is very often left to the individual discretion of decision-makers within a department. That strictness can also be dictated by the religious leanings of these individuals.

Once set, the dress code is displayed at the main door of the premises, with enforcement left to scowling officers or even security guards manning the entrance. Quite often, members of the public are caught by surprise as they only become aware of it upon arrival at the particular department.

Unpleasant encounters usually follow. After all, proper, modest and decent dressing are all different concepts which are premised on the occasion, as well as the culture and beliefs of each individual. Blessed with multiple cultures and faiths as Malaysia is, dresswear becomes just another realm where almost everything is subjective.

Are dress codes needed in the first place? My father’s generation did not seem to need one. People then had an innate sense of what to wear, and when.

I learnt this first-hand. Aged eighteen and dressed in a tee shirt and sports shorts, I was about to mount my bicycle to go to the local registration office to pick up my new identity card – until I caught my father’s glare.

“Not dressed like that,” he said disapprovingly. I promptly changed into something he considered “more appropriate”.

I suppose that for his generation the idea that one had to dress appropriately when visiting a government office stemmed from a respect for authority. These days, government servants generally get much less (if any) respect. Whether that is deserved or not is the subject of a different discussion.

Culture, too, has evolved. Those from the current generation are inclined to more informal settings which, in turn, is reflected by their more casual style of dressing. Sticklers like me, with my father’s admonishment ringing in my head even now, have a hard time holding our tongues.

One must also take into account that these days our government departments are almost entirely staffed by Malay/Muslim officers, many of whom have – and show – a deep sense of religiosity, including in the way they dress.

Ultimately, though, it all boils down to respect.

Public servants must learn to respect the public which it serves, while the public must equally respect those who serve them. A big part of that respect is demonstrated by our external appearance when we deal with each other. First impressions count. After all, we all tend to judge a book by its cover.

If a dress code is considered the prudent way forward, then the government must ensure that it is formulated sensibly, taking into account the diversity in cultures, beliefs, opinions, earning power, mobility, etc. Even our hot and humid climate must be a consideration. Admittedly, it is not an easy task by any means.

There must also be uniformity in its application across all branches of public service.

Government officers, for their part, must not be over-zealous, arbitrary or discriminatory in its implementation and enforcement. Standards of dressing derived from deeply held personal religious views must not be forcibly imposed on the general public.

Dress codes or not, ultimately, Malaysians must learn to see beyond the externals. There is much more to a person than first meets the eye.

In any case, all this talk about dressing distracts from matters which truly need addressing.

Politicians and government servants will do well to recognise that the country is presently in the throes of a deepening economic crisis. Focus your energies on that, please. - FMT

Francis KH Lim is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.