KUALA LUMPUR: The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has reminded the public to uphold the fifth pillar of the Rukun Negara - Courtesy and Morality - especially when dealing with government offices.
Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said this was important to show that government offices were where the public conducted business in an orderly and polite manner.
He said the Chief Secretary to the Government had issued a directive on dress codes while dealing with government premises.
His comments was following reports of a woman who was denied entry into the Kajang police station for allegedly wearing shorts.
"In that incident, I was made to understand that the woman was wearing shorts, showing her thighs.
"The officer had asked her to change into something more modest.
"Maybe there was a misunderstanding between (her) and the police on duty," he said at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent's hiking programme with the community at Bukit Kiara Federal Park, here this morning.
Acryl said exceptions could be given in an emergency, but would also depend on the type of emergency.
"If it is a life or death situation, then we can give some relaxation (to the dress code).
"As I said, in the Rukun Negara, there is the 'Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan' (Courtesy and Morality) principle, and we must understand what that pillar means," he added.
On Tuesday, news portal Free Malaysia Today reported that a woman, who had met with an accident with a truck near her home in Batu Sembilan, Cheras, was denied entry to the Kajang police station for wearing bermuda shorts.
She had claimed that her shorts had covered her knees.