26-6-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) A female clothing store owner has recently been issued a fine by the municipal council for what they deemed as inappropriate attire due to her choice of wearing shorts. The incident has stirred up a heated discussion among netizens, with some questioning the interference in personal freedom. The incident took place in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, where the owner of a local clothing store named Li received the fine from the municipal enforcement officers who conducted an inspection of her business license on the morning of the 25th. The reason cited on the fine was “improper clothing,” specifically a T-shirt paired with shorts.
According to the fine, the municipal council referenced Section 34(2)(b) of the Kota Bharu Municipal Council’s Local Government Act 2019 to issue the penalty. In an interview with local media, Li, the store owner, expressed her surprise at encountering such an issue after operating her women’s clothing store for over two years, during which she had frequently worn T-shirts with shorts.
Li mentioned that she had previously worked at a hair salon where she also dressed similarly but had never faced any fines. Despite her attempts to plead with the enforcement officers, they did not provide her with any opportunity to explain and proceeded to issue the fine.
Following the incident, many Malaysian netizens expressed their confusion and disagreement with the fine imposed on the store owner for wearing shorts. Some individuals argued that personal freedom should not be infringed upon when it comes to choices of clothing and personal style.
