GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government expressed regret over an incident at the Seberang Jaya Hospital in which an elderly man was denied entry to visit his hospitalised relative as he was wearing shorts.
State Health Committee chairman Daniel Gooi said the Seberang Jaya Hospital had conducted a probe and found that it was due to miscommunication between the security personnel and the complainant.
"Further action will be taken to prevent this incident from recurring.
"Do not let this isolated incident tarnish the reputation of our health care system, as all our medical personnel are working very hard to ensure Penangites receive quality treatment," he said when asked to comment on the incident.
It was reported that a senior citizen was refused entry to visit his brother-in-law at the hospital on Monday because he was wearing shorts.
The 72-year-old man had come in a t-shirt, shorts that fell above his knees and sports shoes.
He said the security guard provided no explanation and barred him from entering.
He was then shown an infographic on the hospital's visitor dress code, which barred shorts, singlets, short skirts and sleeveless tops.
The incident happened days after another incident involving a man who claimed that he was turned away from a police station for wearing shorts to lodge a theft report.
State police chief Datuk Khaw Kok Chin said police were investigating and looking into the claims made by the man and that appropriate action would be taken.
The complainant in question, Winson Shim, had shared his experience through a post on the "We Love Bukit Tambun" Facebook page which then went viral.
He wrote that he was asked by the sentry at the Simpang Ampat police station to go home and change into long trousers before he could lodge a report about his car window being smashed and his personal belongings missing in an incident in Bukit Tambun on Thursday evening.