PENANG, May 22 (Bernama) -- Two state assemblymen Tuesday proposed a dress code for women aimed at checking sexual harassment and violent sexual acts against women.

Shabudin Yahaya (BN-Permatang Berangan) said the way women dressed up was among factors that led to sexual harassment and violent sexual acts being committed.

"The women's dressing nowadays can entice men to harass and do things to them," he said when debating the motion of thanks in the state assembly Monday.

Datuk Jasmin Mohamed (BN-Sungai Dua) said women's pursuit of position prompted many of them to put aside their responsibility to the family and was one of the reasons for the violent sexual acts.

Repeated criticisms by Shabudin and Jasmin on the attitude of women which they said contributed to the sexual acts drew reaction from Ng Siew Lai (BN-Bukit Tengah) and Datuk Jahara Hamid (BN-Telok Air Tawar) who stood to defend women.

Ng said every culture had their way of dressing and a dress code was not necessary as responsibility towards the family must be shared by the couple and not only burdened on women.

Jahara said the ruling on dressing had been included in the General Order and specific laws were already in place to check against indecent dressing.

"Every religion has its own ruling on dressing and decency so a dress code is not needed," she added.

Tan Cheng Liang (BN-Jawi) urged the government to enact a law on sexual harassment to protect women.

"Now we only have guidelines but no law. The time has come for such a law to be enacted," she added.

She said violent sexual acts and harassment against women were not because of women's dressing but the men's shallow thinking and disrespect for women.

"There were reports of women in tudung and young children becoming rape victims. As such, dressing is just an excuse and there is no need for a dress code as women know how to dress up."

Women should also be given more opportunities to be involved in policy making adding that the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (UNCEDAW) recently proposed that women in Malaysia be given a 30 percent quota in all fields.

She also proposed a tribunal or public institution be established to protect or resolve problems relating to discrimination against women.

-- BERNAMA