An opposition MP in Malaysia has drawn flak after complaining that the uniforms of nurses were “too tight” and not syariah-compliant, with politicians, medical staff and the public criticising him for his sexist comments and telling him to focus on more important matters, such as healthcare reforms.
Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) politician Wan Razali Wan Nor raised the issue in Parliament on Thursday during a debate on reforms to the public health sector, saying that the current attire showed the body shape of women.
“Are we going to continue following the Western mould on the dress code (for nurses)? Can it be changed so that there will be some relaxations (on the dress code)?” he said.
The brickbats poured in after his remarks.
“Even if the nurses wear gunny sacks for uniform, PAS leaders will find fault with it,” said Facebook user Zuai Md Noor, while Twitter user Tok Perak said that the Kuantan MP has demeaned the nursing profession.
Twitter user Long Tapir Tension said: “Ask all nurses to boycott (this) PAS MP when he’s sick and has to be admitted to hospital.”
Another netizen, Mr Mervin Yap, said Mr Wan Razali had opted to focus on an unimportant issue.
“There are so many issues (facing the profession, such as) medical staff being overworked, underpaid et cetera, but our lawmakers focus on the points that are least important and make zero impact on our heroes,” he said on Facebook.
Some social media users poked fun at Mr Wan Razali by posting memes of women in sexy cosplay nurse costumes, saying that this was what the MP and his PAS colleagues saw in their minds.
Ms Young Syefura Othman of the Democratic Action Party, who is the Bentong MP, said the uniforms are syariah-compliant and designed for the nurses to carry out their duties comfortably.
“What is worth talking about is the increasingly burdensome duties of nurses at this point. Not about the nurses’ outfit. Does this PAS MP only see priority in clothes?” she asked.
Her colleague, Tebrau MP Jimmy Puah, demanded that Mr Wan Razali withdraw his remarks and apologise to nurses in Malaysia.
“Patients who are admitted to a hospital are only concerned about their health and well-being. No one in their right mind going to the hospital seeking medical assistance would even pay attention to the nurses’ outfits.
“We should be appreciating the sacrifice and effort contributed by the nurses in saving lives and serving the nation, instead of questioning what they wear,” he said.
Malayan Nurses Union president Nor Hayati Abd Rashid said the uniforms adhered to the Health Ministry’s guidelines and were designed to be functional and to make it easier for nurses to carry out their duties.
“The rules for the uniforms are that they cannot be too tight and the (length of the top) must be below the buttocks. There is a guideline,” she told news portal Free Malaysia Today.
Malaysian Medical Association president Muruga Raj Rajathurai said it was a shame that Mr Wan Razali was concerned about the uniforms when the focus should be on the future of healthcare.
This was not PAS’ first attempt at raising the issue of what it deemed to be “sexy” women uniforms.
In 2018, then Tumpat MP Che Abdullah Mat Nawi said flight attendant uniforms of Malaysian airliners were too revealing compared with the outfits of other airlines, prompting Transport Minister Anthony Loke to say “don’t look”.
Three years later, in December 2021, Mr Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman, PAS’ MP for Kuala Krai, also raised the issue.
He claimed he had received complaints from female Muslim hotel workers who said they were forced to wear short skirts and prevented from wearing a headscarf while working.
