Malaysia slams Holland’s proposed burqa ban
Muslim country’s foreign minister says ban of face veils discriminatory; ‘people can go naked and wear scanty dresses and yet you do not condemn them,’ he says
"This is again another imbalance treatment. Why can't people have the freedom to dress the way they want to dress.
"People can go naked and wear scanty dresses and yet you do not condemn them. And when people want to cover themselves that is their right," he told reporters.
Predominantly Muslim Malaysia currently chairs the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
On Friday the Dutch cabinet said it was proposing a bill banning clothing that covers the face in public, targeting in particular Muslim woman wearing the burqa or niqab.
'You do not tell people how they should dress'
The burqa is an Islamic veil covering the entire face and body and a mesh screen to see through, while the niqab is a veil covering the face but leaving the eye area clear.
Rita Verdonk, minister of immigration and integration, said the bill proposed a ban on the basis that covering the face constituted a risk to public order and safety.
“For security reasons, people should always be recognizable,” she said, adding that, “For integration reasons, we believe people should be able to communicate with one another.”
According to Verdonk, the ban will not be imposed on traditional Muslim attire only, saying it will also be forbidden to wear ski masks and full helmets in public places.
Syed Hamid rebuked the security concern, saying the veil could be opened when authorities want to identify an individual.
"You do not tell people how they should dress. Okay if you have a problem of identification. You ask them to open for the purpose of identification. But to tell them they cannot wear, that is not right," he said.
As in many European countries, the integration of immigrants is a hot topic in the Netherlands, and the bill comes just days before legislative elections.
