KUCHING, June 5 — Universities in the country should allow, and even encourage, their students to wear traditional attire during special occasions.
In making this call, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii regards a university as a place where the diversity of Malaysia and its people should be celebrated.
The parliamentarian made this remark following the claim of graduates of a local university being denied the right to wear their traditional Kadazan-Dusun and Bidayuh attire during the convocation, where they were asked to change halfway through the ceremony, and were even imposed a fine for doing so.
“University is where we celebrate diversity and break down the walls that divide us all. It is also a place that should encourage its students to be proud of their tradition and culture wherever they are from.
“I believe the Ministry of Higher Education should consider coming out with a clear policy to allow university students to wear their traditional attire, including those from Sarawak and Sabah, to their university convocation as long as it fits the normal modesty requirements,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Moreover, Dr Yii also said that Sarawak and Sabah were currently in the season of celebrating the Gawai and Kaamatan festivals.
Thus, it would have been an amazing opportunity for the graduates to display their pride and culture during one of the most important days in their lives, which is their university convocation,” he added. — Borneo Post Online
