COPS should have options for lodging reports online if they insist people follow dress codes to enter police stations, a retired police chief said. 

Musa Hassan, who was inspector-general of police, said dressing should not be an issue, in response to a furore over a woman barred from entering a police station as she was said to be dressed inappropriately. 

Musa was responding to current IGP Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani who said the dress code for the public at police stations is based on a directive from the chief secretary to the government.

Acryl insisted that the rules must be followed, and cited “kesopanan dan kesusilaan” (courtesy and morality) – the fifth principle of the Rukun Negara – as the basis.

“We have to uphold it as a police station is a government building and installation. However, it (the dress code) can be relaxed based on the type of emergency faced by the complainant,” Acryl had said.

Musa, however, told The Malaysian Insight the public might feel reluctant to lodge a report following the dress code debacle.

“Police should accept (a police report) regardless how the complainant dresses because there must be a valid reason why one comes to lodge a report.

“Police cannot ask them to change their attire before lodging a report. It is a nuisance to them.

“Therefore, it is time for an alternative. Maybe the public can lodge police reports online,” Musa said.

Last week, Kajang district police chief Mohd Zaid Hassan said initial investigations revealed the woman was wearing a pair of shorts that did not cover her knees and only changed into a longer one after she was not allowed to enter the police station.

He claimed the woman was unhappy and refused to follow the officer’s orders at first and even provoked them.

“They then advised her politely again and she drove out of the compound and came back about 15 to 20 minutes later with two friends and was wearing a pair of longer pants.

“A picture of the woman’s longer pants was published along with an article in a news portal, which made it seem like she was barred entry even though she complied with the dress code.

“She only wore the pants pictured in the article after she was told to change,” Zaid said.

Commenting on the fifth principle of the Rukun Negara, Musa said the courtesy and morality values must also be extended to the people.

“It is how we treat the public as we offer our service,” he added.

Meanwhile, another top cop who did not want to be named, said the matter has never been an issue.

The former officer used to be a district police chief, with his last post as a former deputy director at Bukit Aman.

“The way the public dressed was never an issue. This is down to our own discretion.

“At district level, many people from all walks of life, so how can we expect people in need to dress the way we want? 

“I can understand if it is a non-urgent matter, but people come to us because there is something important,” said the former officer. – February 7, 2023.