Are tourists really banned from wearing bikinis on Terengganus lovely tropical beaches?

PAS member of Parliament Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad said the banning of bikinis and directives to swim in separate pools are not state policies, hence one cannot be punished for flouting such so-called rules.

We were merely talking about proper attire in official and public places like airports and hotels, the MP for Kuala Terengganu told malaysiakini .

It is not even a state policy. We are not going to arrest people and throw them out of the state if they do it. Why dont you visit Terengganu now and see for yourself? he quipped.

Recently, media reports quoted assistant tourism state secretary Marzuki Endut as saying the move was part of an educational programme to ensure tourists respected the local culture and tradition.

According to the reports, a committee has been formed to draw up a dress code to discourage tourists from wearing revealing outfits. However, those who breach the code would not be punished.

State tourism executive committee chairperson Wan Hassan Mohamed Ramli also defended the idea, stating that the move was necessary in the interest of Muslims, conceding though that it may burden hotel developers who would have to provide separate swimming pools for men and women.

Syed Azman said such a policy of segregation of sexes has also been suggested by the Penang hotelier association to cater for Middle Eastern tourists who are increasingly visiting the country after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks on America.

But when PAS suggested this (dress code and separate swimming pools), we are accused of being Taliban-like, he said.

Other parts of the world also have such policies, for example, the Vatican city, which encourage tourists to dress decently when visiting, he added.

Critics

The proposed policy has created an uproar coming from federal government ministers and the Muslim partys former partner DAP. Even PAS opposition ally Keadilan has criticised it.

PAS critics argue that tourism is the east-coast states second revenue earner after oil and gas, and such policies would discourage tourists from visiting Terengganu. Last year, 1.39 million tourists visited the state.

Terengganu, which was won by PAS in the 1999 general election, is the second of 13 states to be controlled by the opposition, the other being Kelantan.

Since its rule under Menteri Besar Abdul Hadi Awang, the Terengganu government has come under heavy scrutiny of the press, which frequently reports shutdowns of karaoke joints, pubs, unisex salons and gaming outlets.

Earlier this week, the state government said it had decided to stop using women and sex as well as other hedonistic influences in its tourism campaigns to ensure that the states image would not be distorted by such advertisements.