Kota Baru Municipal Council defends action against non-Muslim businesswoman

PETALING JAYA: The Kota Baru Municipal Council has defended its action when it fined a non-Muslim businesswoman for wearing shorts in public, saying that it was following the law.

It said the compound notice issued by one of its enforcement officers was according to Section 34(2)(b) of the council's Business and Industrial Trade By-Laws 2019.

“Business licence holders must ensure they and their workers are decently dressed, clean and tidy whenever carrying out any trade, business or industrial activities.

“Non-Muslims must also be dressed decently, and if their workers are Muslims, must wear clothing covering their ‘aurat’,” it said in a statement on Monday (June 26).

It said compound notices under Section 34(2)(b) of the council's Business and Industrial Trade By-Laws 2019 were issued towards Muslims and non-Muslims from time to time, with no provocations by any parties.

The council said it regretted the statement made by the person involved as it created a negative perception towards the enforcement officers and the council itself, which was the local authority.

MySinchew, the English portal of Sin Chew Daily, reported that a non-Muslim businesswoman in Kelantan was slapped with a fine by the Kota Baru Municipal Council for wearing shorts despite being in her own shop.

The woman said she had been selling women’s clothes at the shop for the past two years, adding that this was the first time she was compounded.