Terengganu to ban bikinis in new dress code for tourists

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The PAS government in Terengganu will ban tourists from wearing bikinis under a new dress code and has told hotels in the state to practice gender segregation when it comes to swimming pools.

Quoting The Star , an AFP report today said the Muslim-based party has asked the hotels to build separate pools for men and women.

The move is part of an \"educational programme to ensure tourists respect the local culture and tradition,\" said assistant tourism state secretary Marzuki Endut.

A committee has been formed to draw up the dress code to discourage tourists from wearing revealing outfits, he said, adding however that those who breached the code would not be punished.

The new policy for separate swimming pools was necessary in the \"interest of Muslims,\" said state tourism executive committee chairman Wan Hassan Mohamed Ramli, admitting though that it may burden developers.

It is not healthy to have both sexes together in such a situation and environment,\" he said. \"We are not doing something which is beyond understanding but something which is required of Islam.\"

Hotels in the state which have only one pool have been encouraged to build another one if they have land for expansion, the daily said.

Tourism is the second revenue earner after oil and gas for Terengganu, which was won by PAS in the 1999 elections, making it only the second of 13 states to be controlled by the opposition.

Last year, 1.39 million tourists visited the state.

Since taking control, the PAS government has shut down karaoke joints, pubs, unisex salons and gaming outlets.

Earlier this week, it said it had decided to stop using \"women and sex as well as other hedonistic influences\" in its tourism campaigns to ensure advertisements did not distort the state\'s image.

PAS criticised

In a related development, two DAP leaders urged PAS to reconsider its plans or risk having its already tainted image damaged further.

Party deputy chairperson Karpal Singh said PAS should be realistic and forward looking.

Terengganu and Kelantan  another east coast state governed by PAS  have abundant tourist potential which should be tapped in their interest, he added.

Both these states should not consider themselves as islands that do not need contact with the present borderless world, said Karpal in a press statement.

The opposition leader also warned PAS that policies which alienate both locals and foreigners would only lead to the possibility of Barisan Nasional regaining control of the two states.

Echoing similar sentiments was DAP member of Parliament Tan Kok Wai who described the plans as unfair and insensitive.

Such action would further strengthen the impression among non-Muslims that PAS is a fundamentalist party, he said in a press statement.

If the state government can impose such a ruling for swimming pools, are they going to implement a similar ruling for beaches as well. This is downright ridiculous, added the opposition MP.

Tan also called on PAS Barisan Alternatif partners  Keadilan and PRM  to intervene and persuade their ally to reconsider its decision.



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