Politician Says Blazer & Necktie are for Cold Countries, Suggests Batik as Govt’s Official Dress Code

Those working in the government sector are expected to dress formally, which includes a necktie and blazer for men. However, Kluang MP, Wong Shu Qi raised the issue in Parliament yesterday (February 22), and expressed her wish to see changes in the dress code of the government sector.

“Something more suitable with the climate and weather in Malaysia”

During the parliamentary session, Shu Qi described said the current dress code is more suitable for countries with cold weather, and with the current dress code, government officials are more likely to lower the temperature of the air conditioners as much as possible to feel comfortable.

“This will consume more electricity, which is not environment-friendly,” she added.

She then continued and said that many are forced to take off their blazers and neckties when going out for lunch, and put them back on again after getting back to the office. She suggested for the dress code in government offices to be changed into something that mirrors our culture and is more friendly to the environment to battle climate change. 

“The government offices in South Korea and Japan are not allowed to set their aircond temperatures lower than 28 C, and for the Taiwanese government offices, not lower than 26 C.”

Shu Qi also said, “We can save as much as 6% on electricity bills with every increase of 1 degree Celsius.”

She explained that it is better to wear clothes that are suitable for the tropical climate than to wear thick clothes which prompt people to lower their air-cond temperatures, and subsequently leads to high usage of electricity.

“Batik every day”

Since we’re talking about eliminating blazers and neckties from the dress code, Shu Qi suggested that Batik can be worn by government officials every day.

For illustration purposes only

“It’s not only unique, it can also be part of the official dress code that is suitable with our climate.”

You can listen to the full clip below.

Neckties and blazers are not only a must for the government sector but also for some of the private sectors. Regardless, do you think it is wise to change the government sector’s dress code as part of the initiative to battle climate change?

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