PARLIAMENT The recent furore over national gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi’s outfit should be a lesson that closer attention needs to be given to clothing in any field including sports, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom.

The minister who is in charge of Islamic affairs told the Dewan Rakyat tonight that the religion’s requirement for its adherents to cover their aurat - whether for men or for women - cannot be rejected nor questioned.

“We take cognisance and make it a lesson that in any field, including sports, we should view the issue of clothing more carefully and more deeply.

“(This is) so that issues that can shame and taint Islam including Muslim women... So that close attention can be given,” he said during his winding-up speech for the 11th Malaysia Plan.

He said this when responding to a question from Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PAS - Rantau Panjang), who asked to what extent does the government ensure that all aspects of its business are syariah-compliant.

“I’d give an example, and that is the outfit of female athletes. It is clearly against Islam’s requirements (syarak), especially when it involved a Muslim female athlete - Muslim youth who wear clothes that expose the aurat as reported by the media recently.

“It is very shameful,” she said.

While neither Jamil Khir nor Siti Zailah mentioned Farah Ann by name, the athlete had been in the media spotlight over the past week after some netizens criticised her for wearing leotards while she was competing in this year’s South-East Asia Games in Singapore.

She had garnered six medals during the competition, including two gold medals, of which one was from a team event.

Her supporters had pointed out that leotards are part of the competition’s outfit, and that her achievements are something for Malaysians to be proud of.