MALAYSIA — A Member of Parliament (MP) from the opposition party, the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), expressed concern about the attire worn by female nurses in public healthcare facilities during a session in the Malaysian Parliament.
During the debate on the Health White Paper held on Thursday (15 June), Wan Razali Wan Nor, the MP representing Kuantan, highlighted that a significant number of female nurses dress in a manner that is considered “tight-fitting” and not in accordance with Sharia law.
“I would like to address the attire of female nurses, most of whom dress tightly and reveal their body shape, which is not compliant with Sharia law.”
“I would like to ask, are we still inclined to follow Western standards in terms of dress code ethics? Can it not be changed and given some looseness (on the nurse attire)?” he questioned.
Furthermore, the PAS MP urged the government, particularly the Ministry of Health (KKM), to take examples from other hospitals that provide options for their female staff to wear more appropriate attire.
“For example, USM Kubang Kerian Hospital and Sultan Ahmad Shah Medical Centre in Kuantan, I congratulate both of these hospitals for offering better ethical choices for their staff,” added Wan Razali.
Meanwhile, he also raised the issue of providing scholarships to medical students as an effort to further strengthen the healthcare workforce in line with the fourth pillar of the Health White Paper.
At the same time, Wan Razali hoped that the efforts of the Ministry of Health to reform the healthcare system towards greater resilience and integrity could be achieved.
The Health White Paper tabled to the Malaysian Parliament, urging structural reforms
Malaysian Health Minister Dr. Zaliha Mustafa presented the Health White Paper to Parliament on Thursday, emphasizing the decline in citizen healthcare over the past two decades, urging the need for improvements and structural reforms to adapt to socioeconomic, demographic, and lifestyle changes.
Dr Zaliha also highlighted the impact of an aging population, climate change, unequal resource allocation, and insufficient funding for healthcare services.
While PAS has made promises to prioritize racial harmony besides safeguarding the rights of Muslims, some of their leaders’ statements have often left Malaysians astonished and garnered criticism for being disconnected from the real issues faced by the general public.
An example of such a situation occurred earlier this year in January when another MP from PAS made a remark in Parliament that turned out to be a blunder.
The MP insinuated that consuming low-quality food could potentially expose individuals to illnesses like cancer and autism. This statement lacked scientific evidence and was met with disbelief, as it failed to address the pressing concerns of the public.
