'Female nurses' clothes are tight, not syariah-compliant' - MP Kuantan

KUALA LUMPUR - The dress code of female nurses in most public health facilities in this country is considered non-Syariah compliant, according to Kuantan MP Wan Razali Wan Nor.

He said that the dress code needs to be reviewed so that the group can be provided with a more suitable uniform.

"I want to raise the issue of the dress code for female nurses, as most of them dress tightly and show their body shape, this does not follow the syariah

"Do we still want to follow the western countries' dress code? Can't it be changed to be more loose," he said during the Health White Paper debate in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Wan Razali also urged the government, especially the Health Ministry, to follow examples from other hospitals which allowed their female staff to wear more 'appropriate' outfits that is in line with Islamic teachings.

"Take for example, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Hospital Kurang Kerian (Kelantan) and Sultan Ahmad Shah Kuantan Medical Centre (Pahang), congratulations to these two hospitals for giving a better dress code choice for their workers," he said.

Meanwhile, Salahmiah Mohd Nor (PN-Temerloh) raised the issue of the lack of nurses in public hospitals as many more nurses were more interested in working abroad due to the salary being more appealing.

Salahmiah suggested for the government to review the salary rate for nurses, so that their welfare would be better protected.

"The shortage of nurses can be solved without hiring nurses from abroad. This is because the higher education institutes have already offered courses for nursing at the diploma and bachelor's degree levels.

"Existing nursing institutes also need to be strengthened by giving training opportunities to a more qualified group who are interested in this field," she said.