The Malaysian Insight

PAS lawmakers kicking up a fuss on Muslim women being discriminated at work for wearing headscarves have failed to understand revisions to the employment law, Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Sepang-PH) told Parliament today. 

During the Dewan Rakyat’s debate of the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2021 today, Hanipa said that the amendment, which prohibits any discrimination in employment, should be understood in a larger perspective because it covers discrimination against women who wear headscarves.

“If section 69F is to be read more harmoniously (broader context), I believe the right to wear headscarves at the workplace is protected under this provision,” he said.

“There is no need for PAS to act as a hero by accusing the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration of not caring,” Hanipa said during the debate.

The new section authorises the Human Resources Ministry’s secretary-general to investigate accusations of employment discrimination, make decisions on relevant disputes, and issue orders. 

Che Abdullah Mat Nawi (Tumpat-PAS) had earlier said the bill still showed that the PH administration had overlooked discrimination against Muslim women wearing headscarves at work.

“Pasir Mas MP (Ahmad Fadhli Shaari) just now said that during PH’s administration, the right of women workers to fulfil their religious demands was not given attention by the government then,” said Che Abdullah. 

Fadhli had made the accusation when asking the government to act against employers who refuse to allow women employees to wear headscarves. 

Che Abdullah interrupted Hanipa’s debate and accused the previous PH government of dismissing it as a minor matter.

“This is the right to implement religious demands. This is a big issue but PH looked at it as a small issue, as merely wearing a headscarf and perhaps some of them even think covering aurat is not important,” he said. 

Hanipa then answered sarcastically, claiming that his previous explanation was too complex for Che Abdullah to comprehend.

“You do not understand what I explained. But I forgive you, perhaps you are having difficulty in comprehending what I said. Maybe the issue is too deep and you find it difficult to understand it,” he said. – March 21, 2022.