Since last year, the Kota Baru Municipal Council has issued 1,000 summonses to people who it claimed had exposed their aurat, or Islamically-mandated modesty, in public.
The state capital’s Supervisory Squad operations chief Shaifful Nizam Mukhtar told Sinar Harian that its “Tutup Aurat” (“Cover Your Modesty”) Operation was aimed at ensuring workers at supermarkets and night markets toe the religious line.
“The Supervisory Squad was set up under the Development Department of MPKB-BRI, not just to focus on workers in supermarket premises who do not cover their ‘aurat’, but also on night market workers,” he said.
MPKB-BRI stands for Kota Baru Municipal Council – Islamic City.
Under Islamic jurisprudence, the aurat for men is the area between their navel and knees; the aurat for women is the entire body except for the face and hands.
Shaifful added that the maximum compound for indecent dressing or behaviour is RM500.
Recently, neighbouring Terennganu also made the news for allegedly planning to issue a directive to tourists and visitors to the state, especially women, to observe modest modes of dress while in the state.
