Are knee-length shorts indecent dressing for men?

KUALA LUMPUR - Following the flurry of complaints on overly-strict government department dress codes, another disgruntled Malaysian — a man this time — has claimed he was a victim of a similar incident last month at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

According to blogger and businessman Wilson Ng, he was forced to don long trousers to enter KLIA’s Baggage Services Lost and Found section after airport security told him his knee-length shorts were inappropriate.

Ng said the incident took place on May 7 after his family’s return from a holiday in Taipei and questioned the intent and purpose behind such a dress code at a place where tourists fly in and out daily wearing all kinds of clothing.

“I find wearing smart casual just to take the bag is unnecessary as I am not meeting any officials but just to retrieve my bag.

“They kept telling me its rules so its not up to them to decide so I don’t want to argue as they are just working following rules. These rules are stipulated by MAHB and not Malaysia Airlines,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted, referring to Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad by its abbreviation.

“I think it is unnecessary to have such rule. We are just going to take the bag and not for official visit and such. The office is near the luggage collecting area so why do we need to be formal?”  he added.

Ng, inspired by the numerous reports on similar dress code incidents that have gone viral online, decided to chronicle his experience yesterday in a post on his blog “Places and Food”.

In the post, Ng explained that he was dressed casually in shorts when he went to the airport to reclaim his luggage because he was on leave from work that day.

He related that he was able to register at the airport’s security centre for the necessary clearance and verification of his luggage without issue.

However, he was suddenly stopped by airport security just before entering the baggage retrieval room, and told to return home and change his attire.

According to Ng, he was told his knee-length shorts were in violation of the dress code imposed on visitors for entry into the Baggage Services Lost and Found section of KLIA.

“It took me by surprise and I was shocked and upset. However, I calmed down and tried to reason with him.

“First of all, KLIA is never near my home and secondly when I called up the number a day before there was nothing mentioned about the dress code. Thus, there are nothing mentioned in the KLIA website as well!” he wrote on his blog.

Ng said he only agreed as he wanted to leave the building with his belongings, and subsequently asked to be given a pair of pants available in the security room.

He said he returned the borrowed apparel after retrieving his bag and left for home.

At the time of writing, MAHB could not be reached for comment.

This is the fifth report of such an incident in recent weeks and the first to involve a man.

In the previous incidents, several women claimed they had to wear sarongs, and even a towel, to cover up their legs after they were told at a number of government departments that they were dressed indecently.