While the US congress debates on social security bills and whether or not to attack another middle east country, or while the Germany house of parliament discusses on measures to help improve the economic condition in the east side of the country or while the Singapore’s parliament discuss on additional funding to their Institute of Genetic engineering, my country’s - Malaysia - parliament debates about the indecency caused by the so called body-hugging uniforms of the Malaysia Airlines air stewardesses.
I would say that Vision 2050 seems like more of a realistic dream right now. We are a country full of slogans and nationalistic punch lines, and tag it along with minimal, half-hearted efforts, if any. We dont make things happen. We say out loud that THINGS WILL HAPPEN. We throw huge, luxury and splashing function nights or party to declare our VISIONs and GOALs to the rest of the world. But we dont make things happen. We put up advertisement (or propaganda) signs telling our own people we CAN DO IT and make it a national holiday just to commemorate the day when the VISION IS BORNED / DRAFTED / SET, but yet we dont make things happen. We dont, because things like the body-hugging uniforms of the Malaysia Airlines air stewardesses are more important than…uh i dunno….fighting poverty? corruption? social inequality? okok what about this…… try to keep up with the ROADMAP to the original VISION 2020?!! Oh wait, we dont have a roadmap for that?
Oh well, here’s the full parliament transcript about the uniform thingie I copied-and-pasted from Screenshots. Apparently we use a combination of English and Malay in parliament. English is in italic.
TANGGA BATU Idris Haron (BN-Umno): Ini pakaian pakaian pramugari MAS terlalu mengikut bentuk badan.
Some more, the current uniform design is ‘…low cut at the top and a high cut at the bottom’.
Pakaian macam tu boleh menjuruskan kepada perlakuan rakus penumpang lelaki di dalam kapal terbang. (Such dress will arouse the desirous behaviours among male passengers on the plane.)
Their sexy dress, make-up and voice will make the male passengers uncomfortable, especially during the boring flight journeys.
Saya sentiasa memerhati gelagat anak muda di KLIA dan apabila ditanya kepada mereka kenapa suka duduk di KLIA, mereka menjawab hendak melihat pramugari yang cantik.
Kata anak muda itu, gelagat pramugari yang berjalan dengan lenggang lenggok itu umpama ratu cantik dan ia bukan sahaja terhad kepada pramugari MAS malahan pramugari dari semua penerbangan.
AMPANG Dr. Rozaidah Taib (BN-Umno): Hey, studies have shown violent behaviour in males is not related to women’s dress. Most of the sexual victims did not wear sexy dresses.
Why must women be faulted everytime there is a criminal act?
Instead, the issue of alcohol should be more important. If you have had alcohol, than even clothes which are not tight would be seen as very tight.
KUBANG KERIAN Salahuddin Ayub (Opposition - Pas): From what I see, the stewardesses are very shy and … had to cover their cleavage with their hands when they served food to male passengers.
MAS should consider altering the uniforms of the stewardesses. We are normal human beings. Sometimes it is not only that men will tackle women, but that women will also tackle men.
PENDANG Dr Mohd Hayati Othman (Opposition-Pas) I setuju dengan Kubang Kerian. MAS should not allow uniforms that exposed the legs.
BUKIT MERTAJAM Chong Eng (Opposition - DAP) Tangga Batu must first respect his own self so that teh Members of Parliament can be the role models for the society in understanding the issue of dress.
We have to debate based on knowledge. Tangga Batu you are so highly educated and had studied abroad. On this aspect, can you be more open? How can you say that when you see a sexy woman, you would think of releasing your frustration?
Studies have shown the women’s dress is not a factor that induces violent behaviour, but it is caused by males who do not know how to control their behaviour, and males who are ‘tidak beriman’ (non-religiously cultured).
KINABATANGAN Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Umno): Ini parliament tahu? Uniforms should not be an issue in debating the security of the country’s aviation system. (The Parliament was then in debate for the Aviation Offences (Amendment) Bill 2005.)
Let me tell you, They were some women who wore denim pants but have also been raped. So the issue in this debate should be how to enhance the service of MAS.
I normally don’t agree with Bukit Mertajam. But in this matter, I think I agree with her.
SRI GADING Mohamed Aziz (BN-Umno): Apakah Yang Berhormat Tangga Batu sakit ke kalau melihat perempuan jelita…. kerana setahu saya, lelaki lain tidak mengapa.”
PASIR PUTIH Che Min Che Ahmad (BN-Umno) I suggest the air stewardess must at least wear a thin tudung in accordance to the development of Islam Hadhari.
Via Utusan Malaysia and Malaysiakini.
