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DAPSY urges the Education Ministry to issue a clear guideline on dress code for all public education institutions and all schools in the country and ensure no hijacking of the guideline by errant officials or principals


Statement
by
Raymond Chong Yoh Chyi

(Petaling Jaya, Thursday): According to a press report today, the Education Minister, Tan Sri Musa Mohamad has said that the ministry would stop the institutions from implementing their rules on dress code if they were found to be "unreasonable" or against the ministry regulations. He was commenting on a graduation notice by Polytechnic Ungku Omar in Ipoh which stated that all graduating students must wear the songkok or tudung for their convocation in April.

This case has again highlighted that there are some education officials and principals who are always trying to implement their own regulations and values as far as dressing is concerned on the students without taking into considerations the sensitivities of the multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural character of the Malaysian society.

The insensitive directive in the Polytechnic Ungku Omar is the second case highlighted in the last three months. In December last year, the school principal of Sekolah Menengah Infant Jesus Convent in Malacca, Datin Rahimah Ghazali has reportedly required all students in the school to wear baju kurung on every Friday. It was because the issue was highlighted by DAP Secretary General and Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka, Kerk Kim Hock then, the principal eventually backed down on her directive and clarified that the measure was not compulsory.

The Education Ministry must clarify whether there are any clear guidelines on dress code for all public education institutions and schools to follow or there are some education officials who are trying to be errant and hijack the guidelines and rulings of the Ministry and implement their own regulations on the students.

The Education Ministry must realize that imposing dress code against the wishes and sensitivities of other communities by certain education institutions will only strengthen the notion among non-Malays that the national school is a one-race school and this is very unhealthy to the development of the national education system. Thus, the Education Ministry must issue a clear guideline on dress code for all public education institutions to follow and take stern disciplinary actions against officials who defy the guidelines.

(27/2/2003)


* Raymond Chong Yoh Chyi, DAPSY Vice Chairman