[1] It was reported recently that a woman was prevented from entering a police station to lodge a report because the hemline of her skirt was slightly above her knee.^[1]  It’s not the first time this has happened. Over the years, there have been dozens of cases of citizens being denied entry to police stations, government agencies and even hospitals. 

[2] Whenever there was a backlash, the politicians usually denied there was a dress code policy^[2] or conveniently blamed the so-called “little Napoleons” for taking things too far. Now we know that all those “little Napoleons” were in fact following the instructions of the chief secretary to the government.^[3]

[3] It is no secret that dress codes are part of the government’s Islamic agenda, part of a program to bring all aspects of life in Malaysia into conformity with the dictates of the religious establishment. It’s not really about dressing decently; it’s about religious conformity and submission.

[4] It’s a project that has been underway for some time now. And it’s all being done rather quietly by administrative fiat. At the behest of the religious establishment, a circular is issued which is then quietly enforced by all branches of the bureaucracy. Sooner or later, the public gets the message: if you go against the religious establishment, you will be harassed or refused service. Everyone quickly falls into line and dress codes become normalised. It is happening in many other areas of public life as well.

[5] Such is the mindset capture by the religious establishment that even some of those who claim to champion multiculturalism seem to think that imposing dress codes on everyone is acceptable. In the wake of the latest controversy, one newly minted member of the National Unity Advisory Council proffered the suggestion that government agencies provide robes “like those in mosques” ^[4]  for non-Muslims who don’t meet the dress code. 

[6] Dress codes for places of worship are understandable but government agencies are secular not religious spaces. And it’s not like non-Muslims are walking around in bikinis or thongs. Skirts and shorts have been around forever and are common enough; it’s preposterous that anyone would take issue with such attire.   

[7] What next? Are dress codes going to be extended to malls and eateries, airports and trains? We can never get too complacent or underestimate the ambitions of the religious establishment. Each step forward merely sets the stage for the next round of demands.

[8] Of course, they keep insisting that it’s about mutual respect, about being sensitive to the feelings of others. But why is respect in a multicultural nation like ours always defined as non-Muslims bowing to the dictates of the religious establishment? How about respecting the feelings and sensitivities of non-Muslims for a change?

[9] After the drubbing they got in Sabah, the DAP appears to have finally found its voice. DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo, who has been MIA on so many issues, quickly came out with a forceful statement insisting that “the police have no right to impose upon anyone standards which are unilateral, arbitrary and/or unreasonable.”^[5] Bravo!

[10] But I’m not sure whether the prime minister even takes the DAP seriously anymore. Indeed, after discussing the matter in cabinet on Wednesday, the chief secretary issued a new circular allowing for some exemptions during “emergency situations and those outside normal circumstances.”^[6]  What it means is that other than a few exceptions, dress codes are now here to stay, courtesy of the Madani administration. 

[11] I expect that many more Malaysians are now going to be turned away from government agencies and service counters because their dress doesn’t meet the approval of some newly empowered “little Napoleon”.  

[12] We shouldn’t be too surprised because this is the way the prime minister operates – he talks the language of multiculturalism to hoodwink non-Muslims while bending over backwards to appease the religious establishment. Instead of doing the hard work of seeking accommodation and consensus around the issue, he plays politics and hides behind fancy speeches. As a result, our secular space keeps shrinking and our multiculturalism dies from a thousand cuts. Let’s see what Gobind Singh Deo has to say about the revised circular. I hope he has not lost his voice again.

[Dennis Ignatius |Kuala Lumpur | 13^th December 2025]

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^[1] Woman turned away over attire, cops remind public of dress code | Malaysiakini |09 Dec 2025

^[2] Azalina: No dress code for public at all government offices |Malay Mail |05 Nov 2015

^[3] Woman turned away over attire, cops remind public of dress code | Malaysiakini |09 Dec 2025

^[4] Lawyers tell Malacca police to focus on alleged killer cops, not dress code |Malaysiakini |10 Dec 2025

^[5] Serve public, not judge their attire – Gobind gives cops dressing down |Malaysiakini |09 Dec 2025

^[6] Dress code relaxed in emergencies | FMT |10 Dec 2025