Noh visits two injured fire fighters at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital following an explosion at a silo disposing plywood dust during a fire on Nov 11. — Bernama photo
IPOH: The Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Ministry yesterday instructed local authorities to withdraw the licence of hotels which prohibit Muslim women employees from wearing the hijab at work.
Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said the policy of prohibiting Muslim women from wearing the hijab at work was contrary to the Federal Constitution and the human rights advocated internationally.
“If it is true that there are such complaints (of prohibition on the wearing of the hijab), I suggest that the local authorities withdraw the licence of the hotels because it is the right of Muslim women to wear the hijab, even if it involves international hotels.
“The international hotels should be more rational because freedom of religion and attire are advocated at the international level.
“Don’t tell me one cannot be allowed to work just because one wears the hijab,” he said to reporters here.
Noh was asked to comment on the statement by the chairman of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), Samuel Cheah Swee Hee, that it was the standard operating procedure of international hotel chains to prohibit the wearing of the hijab at work.
Earlier, Noh visited two injured fire-fighters at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.
Shazlan Mohd Hanafiah and Mohd Azri Aziz were injured following an explosion at a silo disposing plywood dust at an industrial estate here during a fire on Nov 11.
The minister said Shahzlan, who suffered 10 per cent burns, was recovering and could talk while Mohd Azri would be discharged today.
He said the incident was unexpected although the fire-fighters were equipped with the necessary safety apparatus and had adequate training to handle fires.
“I congratulate them for their courage and for giving preference to the rescue of victims than their own safety,” he said.
Noh also visited another fire-fighter, Mohamad Azizi Rosli, at the Changkat Melintang Hospital near Bota.
Mohamad Azizi had suffered an electric shock when fighting a fire Tuesday night. — Bernama