special report Six years ago, I obtained a first degree from University Sains Malaysia in Penang (USM). While memories of my student days have faded, some things have changed a lot since then.

In my time there, students were allowed to wear t-shirts, but with a collar, when they went to the library. Female students had wider options as we were allowed to wear dresses and skirts or pants with blouses.

The security guards at the campus did double duty as the 'wardrobe police', having been given powers to check on the state of 'decency' of our attire.

Those found to be inappropriately dressed would be barred, embarrassingly so, from entering the library. I saw this happening to some of the students and I was once issued a summons as well.

"Your denim pants are too tight, tak sopan (not decent)," said a female security guard as she subjected me to a top-to-bottom visual inspection.

I did not blame her after all, she was just doing her job. One could argue that a dress code is part of social norms, and I have no disagreement with this. But is it more important than learning or creating knowledge?

I don't know the current dress code at USM, but it appears that t-shirts remain acceptable attire at Universiti Malaya (UM).