PARLIAMENT | An Amanah minister and deputy minister have been told by a PAS MP to push for a syariah-compliant dress code for local airline crews, instead of being "pasu bunga" ("flower pots") in the government.

Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PAS-Pengkalan Chepa) made the call after voicing disappointment over the government's decision not to compel Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to impose a stricter dress code for female flight attendants.

"MAS is under the control of the government, it should observe a syariah-compliant dress code," he said during the question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat today.

"Shah Alam (MP Khalid Abdul Samad) and Sepang (MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin) were among comrades who were once with us, fighting for the syariah-compliant dress code," said Ahmad Marzuk.

Khalid is the current federal territories minister, while Hanipa is a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department. 

"Aside from dress code, Muslim flight attendants should not be allowed to serve alcohol on flights. Not only that, the charge levied on us for international flights is used to serve free alcohol (to the flight passengers), this is a sensitive issue," he added.

"If Pakatan Harapan once said they will implement the syariah (matter) after taking over Putrajaya, now is the time (to do it)," he said.

"I hope Shah Alam (MP) and Sepang (MP) will not be the 'pasu bunga' ('flower pot') in cabinet," he said.

In response, Deputy Transport Minister Kamaruddin Jaffar said many former PAS politicians who were with BN and Harapan shared Ahmad Marzuk’s sentiment.

"But MAS has had the same dress code since the beginning," he said.

"Let us give the government a chance to work things out through the Islamic affairs minister, given that, in this country, we cannot compel anyone in the way they dress," said the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentarian.

Earlier, Kamaruddin said MAS' baju kebaya uniform reflects the nation's culture and hospitality. 

"The Transport Ministry has no issue with any airline operator adopting syariah-compliant uniforms as long as it observes the criteria set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM)," he added. 

CAAM states that the attire of cabin crew should allow them to perform emergency evacuations from an aircraft within a set period of time.