AirAsia: ‘Sexy’ uniforms arouse debate in Malaysian parliament

AirAsia, Firefly Stewardess Uniforms Are Too ‘Sexy’, Politicians Say They Go Against Islam.

Malaysian lawmakers are in a lather about passengers being turned on by sexy stewardesses’ uniforms. The aim is to replace uniforms deemed “too revealing” with a more Islamic fashion, so as not to misrepresent the country.

The country’s parliament debated the issue Monday while discussing amendments to the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) bill. The bill is designed to empower the regulator, allowing it to impose and collect charges on passengers. The lawmakers, however, veered off the main topic to exchange opinions on the “sexiness” of uniforms worn by stewardesses on the country’s airlines.

The all-red uniforms worn by the stewardesses of AirAsia, as well as the bright orange outfits of the Firefly airline, are “too revealing” and might “arouse” passengers, Senator Datuk Abdullah Mat Yasim said, as cited by the Straits Times newspaper. He argued that such “eye-catching outfits” did not represent the state religion of Islam. The MAVCOM “must really look into this,” the official added.

Select and LIKE your most friendly and crushworthy Firefly cabin crew from our FB album! Photo with most likes will be crowned as Firefly’s Orange Crush of The Year!

Voting starts today until 5th December 2017. pic.twitter.com/s5i2h1wQq2

— Firefly Airlines (@FireflyAirlines) November 22, 2017

The assessment of the senator was supported by his fellow lawmaker Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, who said the designs of the uniforms should be changed. The official also deemed the uniforms of the Malindo airline’s stewardesses inappropriate.

“My wife is worried whenever I fly alone on Malindo or AirAsia,” the lawmaker claimed. “This is a real hassle for me.”

WE ARE HIRING! If you have a passion for aviation, come join us and be part of our growing family! pic.twitter.com/oMyfqavGfe

— Malindo Air (@malindoair) March 22, 2017

Mat Yasim agreed with his colleague that the Malindo’s partially-transparent uniforms might be too “body hugging,” but said they were better than the outfits issued by the other companies since they at least covered “sensitive areas.” The lawmaker did not elaborate which areas exactly he considered sensitive.

Earlier this year, Malindo came under fire over its recruiting practices, with reports claiming the applicants were required to strip down to their underwear during the interview. The revelation caused uproar among legislators, who demanded the airline apologize to Malaysian women. The company, however, dismissed the accusations, stating that the “grooming checks” were a part of a normal recruiting procedure, conducted by “female supervisors in a professional manner.” The strip-check was required to ensure that “no prominent marks will be visible while wearing the uniform,” according to Malindo.