Malay lipstick ban to take sex out of the city

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-25  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

AUTHORITIES in a northern Malaysian city have forbidden Muslim women from wearing bright lipstick and noisy high-heeled shoes to work, saying the ban will enhance their dignity and prevent them from getting raped, a news report said.

The municipal council in Kota Baru, dominated by a conservative Islamic party, ordered women working in restaurants and other businesses to refrain from wearing heavy makeup, including bright lipstick, and high-heeled shoes that make tapping sounds, the national news agency Bernama said.

If they insist on wearing such shoes, the heels should be padded with rubber, it said.

The city said in a circular that the order aims to prevent rape and to protect the women's dignity and morals, Bernama said. The circular has already been distributed to some businesses, it said.

City council officials could not immediately confirm the report. One employee said she had heard of the directive but was not aware that it was being enforced. "I don't know what it is. I myself also wear lipstick," she said.

Kota Baru is the capital of Kelantan state, which is ruled by the conservative opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party.

The city already has a directive that women should wear non-transparent headscarves that cover the chest, long-sleeved, loose blouses and socks. Those who break the rules can be fined up to 500 ringgit (US$150), Bernama said.

Malaysia, where about two-thirds of the population is Malay Muslim, prides itself on being a moderate country. Other ethnic groups do not face restrictions.