LETTER | The hospitality industry should reflect the country's diversity that has been a major draw for foreign tourists over the years. Islam is a major religion in this country and it makes no sense to ban the headscarf for frontline female Muslim staff. Just because the rule has been in place for a long time does not make it right.

This issue should be considered in the wider context of pluralistic Malaysia that celebrates diversity. Hotel operators need to play their part in promoting the "Malaysia, Truly Asia" slogan.

They should protest one-size-fits-all rules that do not take into account local sensitivities that reek of discrimination. So long as the attire does not hamper an employee from effectively carrying out their jobs, the clothing should not be banned.

Therefore, local hotel operators should be more flexible in imposing a dress code for their employees while local management of international hotel chains should request their headquarters to waive the ban on female Muslim staff from wearing the headscarf.

On a related note, clothing preference is a personal choice. In public, no one should be told what is proper attire and what is not, so long as it is within the confines of the law.

Of late, some government agencies had stepped into moral policing by denying entry into its premises, some members of the public deemed to have dressed inappropriately. Such decisions are often arbitrary.

These civil servants who try to impose their personal values on the public's dress code are behaving no differently from the multinational companies imposing dress codes that are insensitive to a local setting.

Such attitude is not helpful in a pluralistic society, which ought to embrace diversity. Embracing diversity can go a long way in building the much-needed bridges in a society riven by radicalised elements that have manifested in our country lately.  

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.