I am irritated with the songkok issue in Johor recenly.

This assemblyman refused to wear the songkok.

It is simple, songkok is part of the official Dress Code of the Johor assembly and formal events:

“…….events involving the Sultan, Muslim men should wear the Malay traditional attire with songkok, while the Muslim women wear "baju kurung" and head scarves.

For non-Muslim, the men should wear a coat and songkok, while the women also wear baju kurung.

If events are held at the palace and it involves the Sultan, non-Muslim women must also wear the head scarves….”

I think the assemblyman is just plain rude, disrespect, insensitive, lacking of refinement and do not understand and perhaps do not have the capacity to understand protocol.

Or, is he trying to prove a point?

If you do, Mr Yang Berkhidmat, why don’t you make it clear why did you act in such an uncouth manner?

If you have something against songkok, then bring the matter up in the Dewan. After all you have the avenue to do so since you are a member of the Dewan. Do it the professional way!

And by the way, there is nothing religious about songkok. It is just a traditional head gear. Songkok is worn throughout the region, including the non Muslims in Indonesia.

Mr. Yang Berkhidmat need to do a bit of homework on the constitution, history, heritage, culture and the manual for Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri. You have other more pertinent issues in your hands and the people has given you the mandate to represent them.

Try to understand what culture and values really mean - subjects you seem to be lacking of...

BOSAN!