PAS MP comes under fire over remark on nurses uniforms

PETALING JAYA: PAS' Kuantan MP Wan Razali Wan Nor has come under fire from several organisations over his remark on nurses attire in Parliament on Thursday (June 15), claiming it was too tight and not shariah compliant.

"The uniforms worn by nurses are designed to be functional, to make it easier for them to carry out their duties, they are not too tight and adhere to the guidelines set by the Health Ministry," said Malayan Nurses Union president Nor Hayati Abd Rashid.

She said the rules were clear, the uniforms could not be too tight and the length of the top must be below the waist and above the knee, which was the guideline by the Health Ministry.

"It is a major change compared to the 1980s when nurses used to wear skirts, but the dress code was changed to pants to be more shariah compliant," she explained.

While debating the White Paper of Public Health Reforms in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, Razali said the government should consider changing the uniforms for nurses as they were too tight and not Syariah compliant.

He also said that women's body shapes were visible with the current uniform.

"Are we still following the Western dress code? Can it be changed to allow some 'relaxation' of the nurses' uniform?" he told the Dewan Rakyat.

Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai, meanwhile, said current Health Ministry nurse uniforms were practical as it did not restrict the movement of nurses when they were carrying out their duties.

"It is a shame, when everyone is concerned about the future of healthcare, Wan Razali was concerned about nurses' dress code," said Dr Muruga.

Former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye also said the present nurses uniforms were comfortable, functional and decent, catering well to each institution and individual preferences.

"When we expect MPs to focus on debating important healthcare reforms in the Health White Paper, the PAS MP was focused on the cut of the uniforms," he added.