You are hired to maintain security, not be moral police, MP says on dress code

SHAH ALAM - Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman has called on cops to carry out duties without prejudice regardless of dressing and appearance of a person lodging a report.

She said the police should perform their official duties without being sexists towards women and without judgement over what they wear.

She said that those lodging a report are in need of help and the clothes they wear should not be an issue.

"The police need to train their members and officers to accept the people regardless of their dress and appearance," she said in a statement on Sunday.

She added that the people do not come to the police station if there is nothing urgent and the principle of "morality" said by the Inpector-General of Police (IGP) should be practiced by police officers who should take reports professionally.

"It includes receiving reports from people who are desperate no matter what they look like at the time. Selective tolerance and sexism should not be there.

"I hope that this kind of thing will not happen again. All citizens should be given access to enter the police station to make a police report without having to be judged on their appearance.

"The duty of the police is to maintain peace and security, not to be moral police for the people," she added.

She said this following a case earlier this week where a woman claimed she was refused entry into the Kajang district police headquarters (IPD) to lodge a police report following a car accident because of her attire.

However, the woman claimed she was wearing Bermuda shorts that covered her knees and was only allowed to enter the police station after her sister brought her a pair of long pants.

Kajang police later confirmed that a woman was denied entry into the police station because her attire did not comply with its dress code.