Malaysian city bans heavy make-up, noisy high-heels:
report
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - - A Malaysian city has banned
Muslim women from wearing brightly coloured lipstick and noisy
high-heeled shoes to work, the national news agency Bernama
reported.
The report said the circular stated that the directive, which
targetted Muslim women working in food outlets and other business
premises, was aimed at preventing incidents like rape and illicit
sex.
It ordered women not to wear thick make-up including bright
lipstick, or high-heeled shoes "that gave a tapping sound,"
although rubber-soled heels were permitted.
The directive said that the headscarf worn by many Muslim women
in Malaysia should also cover the chest and not be made of
transparent material, and that those who flouted the rules faced a
fine of 500 ringgit (153 dollars).
Kelantan, which has been run by PAS since 1990, is the most
conservative state in Malaysia. The country's population is
dominated by Muslim Malays, alongside large ethnic Chinese and
Indian minorities.
The state's rulers have in the past made headlines with laws
that require separate queues for men and women in shops, and for
imposing fines on skimpy clothing.
However, in recent years the party has begun introducing reforms
designed to tone down its hardline reputation and woo young
voters.
An official from the city's law enforcement department said
there had been an "awareness campaign" encouraging Muslim women to
conform with Islamic dress codes "with less make-up and more
modesty, including wearing headscarves."
She told AFP that she had not seen the circular reported both by
Bernama and a television network, adding there were no laws
forbidding women from wearing heavy make-up or noisy footwear.
"It is a ridiculous piece of news," said the official, who
declined to be identified.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080624/tap-malaysia-islam-politics-0193655.html
