You know that it is election time with the increase in incidents involving the three “Rs,” and politicians either wading into the controversy, or steering clear of it, to protect their party’s chances on election day.

Criticizing a woman’s dress is an easy political tactic adopted by unimaginative parties.

Two weeks ago, a PAS MP complained about women nurses’ uniforms being non-syariah compliant. He said they were too tight and revealing.

On June 25, the Kota Bharu Municipal Council (MPKB) fined a non-Muslim woman for wearing an oversized T-shirt which covered her shorts.

Although the non-Malay business owner was in her own shop, the MPKB said her shorts were “indecent.”

She was charged under Section 34(2) (b) which states that business licence owners must ensure that workers on their premises should wear “decent” clothes, or if they were Muslim, had to cover their aurat (modesty).

What is “decent” for some may be outrageously offensive to others. What is the MPKB’s definition for indecent attire?

Several incidents about dress codes in government buildings have given rise to similar queries. Women in midi skirts and elbow-length blouses have lately been banned from entering government buildings, unless they change to more suitable attire.

Why are women often victimized despite being conscientious about their clothing?

However much they try, their attempts are still not good enough for some Little Napoleons.

Why was the Kota Bharu business owner targeted in her own shop?

Some people have claimed that she was away from the public glare. Isn’t one’s own premises considered sacred anymore?

It maybe shorts today, but what about tomorrow?

More importantly, why have shorts become an issue in Kelantan when there are more pressing matters that should be tackled with extreme urgency?

These don’t comprise the more obvious matters like poverty, water supply problems and brown water flowing in water pipes, the erosion of coastline, submerged land, or the environmental damage from illegal logging and mining.

More serious than the wearing of shorts is what happens behind closed doors in Kelantan.

Tackling problems such as drug addiction, incest, sexual abuse and abandoned babies in Kelantan must take precedence over the wearing of shorts.

Few people want to talk about them and possibly fewer still think these can be resolved.

It is alleged that the state of Kelantan has the most cases of drug-taking among its youth.

There are also high numbers of incest, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sodomy and abandoned babies.

The state has also recorded an increase in the number of women contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The women were not unfaithful but had been infected by their drug-taking husbands, or partners who crossed the border for a bit of rest and recreation in southern Thailand.

Tackling the twin problems of drug and sexual harassment like incest must take precedence over the wearing of shorts.

Both are serious crimes, but they have damaging effects on the individual’s physical and mental health, their families, the community, the state and the nation.

The drug addict’s dependence on drugs means that his productivity at work is affected. He could be a danger to others if he were to drive under the influence of drugs.

Being addicted may force some people to steal to pay for their drugs. A person who is convicted of theft, for supplying or for using drugs, may be jailed. This means that the person, if he is a breadwinner, cannot provide for his family and this will impact on his wife and children.

The drug addict who has a job may find that his work performance is affected. If he is absent from work, the productivity of the company he works for will suffer. He will be sacked as he costs money and is unreliable.

The health issues of someone with a serious drug problem will impact on the health service to the community.

Treating drug addiction must cost the Kelantan administration millions of ringgits every year, money which could be used to treat other social issues and health problems in the community, like the care of babies and the elderly, kidney diseases, obesity, cardiovascular problems, or homelessness, poverty and youth unemployment.

The families of drug addicts often suffer when a family member is an addict.

Children who are addicts are difficult to discipline. Their school work will be affected and they may eventually drop out of school.

The consequences of being a dropout and therefore being unemployable has serious implications for the community and state.

In some playgrounds, the ground is littered with used syringes which are a danger to children.

A parent who is a drug addict cannot provide for the family, nor be a good role model. The chances of one or more of his children becoming drug addicts is also high.

Cases of sexual abuse and incest in Kelantan are also high.

Like drug-taking, these issues don’t just affect the individual but will affect the family and community.

Incest or sexual abuse is often swept under the carpet because it brings shame to the family.

The victims will have mental health issues and many suffer in silence because our society feels hopeless, ashamed, or is ill-equipped to deal with it.

Kelantan must prioritize its issues and promptly deal with them.

As the shorts scandal of Kelantan has shown, do not think that some problems will only affect the Malays and Muslims, because in truth, these are Malaysian issues.

Sources:

1. Malaysiakini: Minister: KB council fine infringes on non-Muslims’ right to wear shorts
2. The Star: Kelantan has highest number of drug abuse cases in the country
3. New Straits Times: Kelantan among states with highest sexual crime cases, says Bukit Aman CID director

(Mariam Mokhtar is a Freelance Writer.)