Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (right) says there is no dress code for the public at all government offices. ― File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 ― Putrajaya does not enforce dress codes on members of the public visiting government department and will entertain even those who are dressed “inappropriately”, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said today.

In a written reply to Putatan MP Datuk Dr Makin Marcus Mojigoh, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said that only civil servants are subjected to dress-code rulings.

“Therefore the public can wear attire that are suited to their culture and eastern values when dealing in government offices.

“However the government will still extend its services to those who dress inappropriately,” the de facto parliamentary affairs minister said.

She said that government department heads may, however, advise the public to wear suitable attire when visiting their offices, but did not elaborate on what this entailed.

Marcus had asked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to state if Putrajaya has dress codes for the public who visit government offices and agencies, and the types of action taken against those who violate the rule as well as the reactions from those penalised for their inappropriate dressing.

Controversies including dress codes occurred this year when Malaysians were refused service or entry at the Road Transport Department, the Selangor state secretariat, a public hospital and even the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

In July, de facto law minister Nancy Shukri criticised the dress code fiasco, disagreeing with imposing restrictions on how Malaysians should dress in public.

The federal minister acknowledged, however, that government departments would typically want visitors to dress a certain way.