KUALA LUMPUR: Government departments and agencies should not willfully impose their own guidelines unto the public.
MCA Wanita national chairperson Wong You Fong said "overzealousness" in enforcing dress codes could be seen as the government authorities coercing values instead of serving citizens and the public.
"There is no reason to deny services to the public based on their opinion of what attire is appropriate.
"It remains unfortunate that certain government authorities are focused on form rather than substance; that visitors are denied entry into government premises due to supposed non-conformation of dress codes," she said in a statement today.
Wong cited a case where yet another woman, who had wanted to lodge a report for a car accident, was denied entry to a police station in Gombak for wearing a skirt and a blouse that were deemed inappropriate.
She also quoted another case in Ipoh, Perak, where a woman who was denied entry to the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) over her hemline.
She added that the police were guardians for safety and security who are trained to assist any individuals who approached them.
"Seriously, do police stations expect anyone who is pursued by triads, armed robbers, assailants, abductors and terrorists to search for long pants to wear when at the spur of the criminal act, they are fleeing towards safety at the police station?
"Do the police expect victims of sexual assault, incest, domestic violence, whose clothes may have been ripped away from them to shower first, be all fragrantly puffed up and wash away all bodily fluid evidence to be accepted as having fulfilled dress codes for entry?
"Nobody would appear at a police station unless there is a valid reason," she added.
By accepting their reports regardless of attire, said Wong, the police would be practising their slogan 'Sedia Berkhidmat' (Ready to Serve) and shore up confidence in the authorities.
She said at critical junctures, action by the police after accepting any reports filed could save lives and property. These reports will also help in police to apprehend wrongdoers or collect evidence.
"In a parliamentary reply in 2015, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had clarified that there is no dress code for the public when dealing with government departments and agencies and that only civil servants were subjected to dress codes which would be updated from time to time.
"She had also emphasised that the government will continue to serve the public who wear inappropriate clothes.
"As there are no relevant laws which shows a clear provision under any Act to stipulate dress codes, government departments and agencies should not willfully impose their own guidelines unto the public," she said.
In February, a woman seeking treatment at the Kampar Hospital, Perak, was asked to go home and change her clothes by an officer on duty, as she was wearing shorts.
The staff had since been reprimanded for turning away a patient.
Yesterday, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa in Parliament said patients seeking medical attention at hospitals and health facilities nationwide must be given priority regardless of race or their attire.