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A Malaysian opposition lawmaker has said that the uniforms of Malaysian nurses are "tight-fitting", and asked whether they could be allowed to "dress more suitably".

Alternatives

Member of Parliament for Kuantan, Pahang, Wan Razali Wan Nor said in parliament that many nurses' uniforms were too tight, and thus not syariah-complaint, according to MalaysiaKini.

The Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS) MP said that he wanted raise the issue of dress codes for female nurses in Malaysia's hospitals saying

"Most of them are wearing tight clothes and the shape of their bodies can be seen, which is not syariah-compliant," Wan Razali said.

He asked if Malaysia wanted to continue "following the Western style in the matter of this dressing etiquette".

Wan Razali gave examples of some hospitals in his home state of Pahang, and PAS-controlled Kelantan, "where female staff are given alternatives to dress more suitably", as quoted by the Malay Mail.

White Paper

According to MalaysiaKini, Wan Razali raised this point during a debate on the Public Health White Paper.

The White Paper was tabled by Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa, and listed the challenges faced by Malaysia's public health system, and the structural reforms that were necessary, according to the Malay Mail.

Zaliha, of the governing Pakatan Harapan coalition, laid out a 57-page document that detailed proposed healthcare reforms for the next 15 years.

MPs took the opportunity to debate concerns of Malaysians, such as former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin urging the government to exempt those in the lowest 40 per cent of the income bracket from health facility fees, according to Malaysia Now.

Another Perikatan Nasional MP, Roslan Hashim, suggested raising salaries and allowances of public health doctors according to Harian Metro.

Wan Razali's question about nurse uniforms comes in the wake of a public dressing down by the Speaker of Parliament in March 2023, where he was scolded for making unsubstantiated claims about a women's march.

There have also been numerous recent occasions of members of public being denied entry to public buildings in Malaysia, including hospitals and police stations, because of inappropriate attire, such as shorts.

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Top image via Wan Razali Wan Nor/Facebook & Nurse Malaysia/Facebook