Kota Baru (Malaysia): In a bid to prevent incidents like rape and illicit sex in shops and other business premises, the Kota Bura Municipal Council in Malaysia has reportedly issued a circular directing the fairer sex, particularly Muslim women, not to sport bright-coloured lipstick or wear high-heeled shoes to work.
Dated May 25 and signed by Municipal Council President Shafie Ismail, the circular said the directive was targeted at Muslim women employees working in food outlets and other business premises.
Those who insisted on wearing high-heeled shoes should choose those with rubber soles, staronline.com quoted it as saying.
The directive on the wearing of lipstick and high-heeled shoes is in addition to the wearing of scarves covering the chest, and that the scarf should not be of any transparent material, and blouses should be with long sleeves having long and loose, as well as socks.
Those who do not adhere to the regulation can be fined up to 500 Ringgits, added the directive.
So not only are women supposed to prevent their own rapes by not wearing high heels or lipstick — which are apparently irresistible invitations to assault, or something — they’re fined if they don’t buy into it. If the Kota Bura Municipal Council is actually interested in preventing rape, perhaps they should focus on the rapists.
Thanks to Mandy for the link.
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 6 comments }
Oh, lovely, being fined for our own protection.
Oh for the love of all that is good…
This is the most blindingly, bleedingly stupid thing I’ve ever heard. It’s… fractally wrong. It hurts me on the inside.
Given your legal background, Jill, what’s your take on this recent Philly case I stumbled across, in which the victim’s mother being sexually active was used by the prosecution as an argument against the mother’s boyfriend having raped/murdered her daughter–? Apparently, in 21st century America, having a vibrator and using it can be proof that you’re a “sex fiend” and responsible for whatever horrible things happen to your children!
Can I ask why the rubber soles? Is there some special kind of non-alluring, rubber-soled heel that I am not aware of?
The only other thing I can think of is that they are for running. That chills my sole. Erm, soul.
Kota Baru is a city, located in one of the northern states of Malaysia. This state is controlled by one of the opposition party. Malaysia’s election happened this year in March 2008. This state was once again won by the Opposition Party in control. This means people CHOSE the opposition party over the ruling party. The state in which Kota Baru is located in has been held by this Opposition Party for a long time now.
This opposition party creates rules such as this, to apply on Muslim women. This is not the first “law” that they have put forth. They have put forth other laws that are clearly medieval in today’s society. For example, they want to enact hudud law, which, among one example, is hand-chopping for anyone caught stealing. They have also created other laws: ie, men and women have to line up at SEPARATE queus while buying things, Women on all billboard advertisements must be FULLY covered (from head to toe, covering all the aurats), women are not allowed to wear “tight fitting wear” while working, etc.
Continuing from timothynakayama’s vein, anybody who’s been there just KNOWS, once they’ve got Muslim women in line, non-Muslim women are next!
Heels should always come with a rubber lift, anyway… that bit on the bottom of the heel that provides extra stability. They’re also called covers or protectors, particularly on stilettos.
Malaysia has a history of ignoring rapists in general, preferring to place the onus on women instead. And worse, its public buys into it judging by all the fearmongering forward emails I get.
Comments on this entry are closed.