Muslim dress imposed at offices

TANGERANG: Starting next week, the Tangerang municipality administration will impose a new dress code for civil servants, including wearing Muslim clothing on Fridays.

Head of the information and communication agency Achmad Chairuddin said on Monday that civil servants were to wear the government-issue brown uniform from Monday through Thursday and jogging suits every Friday morning.

Civil servants are to change from jogging suits into the traditional, Muslim high-collared and loose koko shirt for men and headscarves for women.

"The new arrangement is a direct order from the Mayor, who wants efficiency in the budget. Moreover, Muslim dress reflects the municipality's devout image," he said.

Currently, civil servants must wear green official uniforms on Mondays.

Civil servants have welcomed the new dress code.

"The administration distributes the brown uniforms every year, but we buy the green uniform and jogging suit with our own money," said a staffer at the public works agency. -- JP