19-6-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia’s Health Minister, Dr Zaliha Mustafa, stated on Sunday that there is nothing wrong with the uniforms worn by nurses in the country, emphasizing that nurses adhere to ethical standards when it comes to their attire.
“There are ethics nurses adhere to when it comes to their uniforms and it is clear to me that there is no problem,” she affirmed.
Dr Zaliha further expressed that the ministry’s main focus should be on providing the best services to the public, particularly in light of the recently tabled Health White Paper.
“We have just tabled the Health White Paper and should be focusing on what is important, which is providing the best health services to the people. For now, I do not see the uniform as an issue,” she commented during a press conference after attending the handing-over ceremony of three projects from the Public Works Department to the Health Ministry at Sultanah Aminah Hospital.
Dr Zaliha’s remarks were in response to comments made by Kuantan MP Wan Razali Wan Nor regarding the attire of nurses. During a debate on the White Paper of Public Health Reforms in Parliament, Mr Wan Razali suggested that the government should consider changing the nurse uniforms, stating that they were too tight and not in compliance with syariah (Islamic law).
He further expressed his concern that the current uniforms revealed the body shapes of female nurses and questioned whether Malaysia should continue to follow Western dress codes.
Mr Wan Razali, a politician from Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), has faced criticism for his remarks on nurse uniforms.
Responding to the controversy, Malaysian Medical Association President Muruga Raj Rajathurai expressed support for the current nurse uniforms, noting their practicality and the fact that they do not hinder nurses’ movement while performing their duties.
