G25 welcomes the Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa’s recent statement in Parliament, giving assurance that government hospitals have been instructed not to turn away any member of the public from entry by reason of his or her dress.
The minister also pointed out that by the Hippocratic Oath, a doctor is sworn to provide the best medical care possible to anyone who seeks help. We are pleased that the minister has stated the ministry policy very clearly so that there will be no more cases where the guard on duty can be so uncaring as to refuse entry to a woman seeking treatment, making our country look strange in the eyes of the world.
The government should review the instruction on the dress code because it is so subjective that the guard at a government department can turn himself into a little Napolean especially if he is a die-hard conservative or extremist.
Entertainment companies have also become victims to the growing conservatism in the country. They have stopped promoting well-known foreign artistes to perform in Malaysia because of recent cases where their permits were cancelled at the last minute, resulting in financial loss to the promoters.
Western music groups visiting Southeast Asia are now bypassing Kuala Lumpur. Our music fans must go outside the country to Singapore, Bangkok and Jakarta if they want to see their favourite music stars from the West, Australia, Korea or Japan performing live on stage. It can cost at least RM2,000 each person on airfare, accommodation and concert tickets to see their pop stars performing in neighbouring cities, depending on their locations.
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These are the kind of policies that can easily make foreigners and tourists worry about visiting Malaysia in case they run afoul of the modesty rules and regulations in the country.
We believe that in making Malaysia part of the international community, we also must learn to live with the different cultures and values around the world so long as they are not a threat to law and order and the security of the country. Such understanding for the differences in culture, religion and personal dress styles will go a long way to support the government’s policy to attract foreign investments into the country and for the international community to make Malaysia an attractive place to visit and stay under the “Malaysia, My Second Home” programme.
Malaysian companies like property developers, hotel groups, homestay promoters, tourist agencies, handicrafts shops and private hospitals are turning more and more to foreign markets to develop their business potential. All these promotional efforts will fail if foreigners feel Malaysia is not a tolerant and safe place for them to visit or do business with.
Malaysia runs the risk that in trying to address local sensitivities about what women wear, we may be overdoing it to the extent of making our own people worry about the future as a progressive Muslim-majority country.
Despite this, we do see progress in other areas. We welcome the recent statement made by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek that school canteens will remain open during the fasting month to cater to the needs of non-Muslim students and teachers. This change is one which has been long called for and one we hope will be the first of others that will ensure that all races and those of different faiths are given the same consideration when determining school policies.
We are also encouraged by the High Education Minister Khaled Nordin’s statement that the sections in the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 that restrict the freedoms of students and academicians will be abolished and that the provisions in the act would be reviewed. We in G25 are hopeful that this move will spur further reforms that will go on to benefit our higher education system and the students and academicians within it.
With the country’s efforts to fulfilling its UN sustainable development goals, it is pertinent that we also move towards the global practices of ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusivity which are embedded in these goals.
Malaysia must remain an open society, one that embraces the different religious and social values among the the ethnic groups and realises the full potential of the differences in our people. Let us make our diversity an asset to achieve peace and lasting prosperity for the people. – G25
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
