Columnist Ridhuan Tee Abdullah dared critics of the government dress code to visit churches and temples dressed only in underwear. File picture shows young people, stripped to their underpants, waiting for the subway in Mexico City as they take part in ‘No pants subway ride day’. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — As the dress code war continues to claim the limelight, controversial columnist Ridhuan Tee Abdullah challenged today critics of the government guideline to visit churches and temples dressed only in their underwear.

The Chinese Muslim convert had jumped into the fray following a Selangor DAP lawmaker’s cheeky Facebook notice welcoming all visitors to his Kinrara service centre regardless of their attire.

“These human tribes are uncivilised. No religion allows revealing outfits,” the Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin lecturer who has a column in Malay paper Sinar Harian was quoted as saying in a report on Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia’s (Isma) website.

“Perhaps they should enter churches or temples only in their underwear if they don’t believe in a dressing ethic,” Tee added.

In its online report, Isma which has been championing Malay-Muslim rights posted a close-up picture of the notice from Kinrara assemblyman Ng Sze Han’s service centre, which showed his version of the clothing guideline.

Of the seven images depicted, three styles that showed a woman in a spaghetti-strapped evening dress with a thigh-high slit, a sleeveless dress that stopped just above the knee and a leotard were strategically covered with smiley blue faces that were not carried in Ng’s original picture.

The DAP lawmaker published on his Facebook page a notice that said visitors to his service centre will not be forced to wear a sarong or towel over their outfits, featuring pictures of people in a mini skirt, a leotard, a suit, Bermuda shorts, Baju Melayu and an evening gown that it said was acceptable attire — spoofing the dressing guidelines at government offices.

Several Facebook users, however, attacked Ng and told him to go to the Selangor state legislative assembly in just his underwear.

Ng stressed, however, that he was not encouraging people to go out in public wearing just their undergarments or swimsuits.

“Everyone should read my message carefully. As a community service centre, we will not turn down anyone who is in need of help just because of the way they dress,” the DAP assemblyman told Malay Mail Online when contacted.

“I echo what Tun M said few days ago: ‘When providing public services, anyone is welcome regardless (of) the way they dressed’,” Ng added, referring to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Singapore broadcaster Channel News Asia reported Dr Mahathir as telling a press conference last Thursday that Malaysia was behaving like Saudi Arabia with public institutions imposing dress codes on non-Muslim visitors, saying that women should be allowed to enter a government building “as long as they aren’t naked”.

Several non-Muslims have been forced to cover up their legs in separate incidents at public buildings, including one at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport this year, which spurred concern over the creep of Islamic values in the bureaucracy.