KUALA LUMPUR: Two Malaysian lawmakers on Monday (Dec 18) criticised the uniforms for stewardesses on some of the country’s airlines, saying they were “too revealing”.

Senator Abdullah Mat Yasim singled out two budget carriers, AirAsia and Firefly, for having “eye-catching outfits” that do not reflect the status of Islam as Malaysia’s official religion, the New Straits Times reported.

“The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) must really look into this,” he said when debating the MAVCOM (Amendment) Bill 2017 in Dewan Negara, the upper house of Malaysia’s parliament.

The revealing uniforms could arouse passengers, especially young people, the report quoted him as saying.

Another lawmaker, Senator Megat Zulkarnain Omardin, agreed and suggested that the design of the uniforms should be changed.

“My wife is worried whenever I fly alone on Malindo or AirAsia,” the New Straits Times quoted him as saying. “This is a real hassle for me,” he added, drawing laughter from other members of parliament.

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File photo of Malindo Air stewardesses.

Mr Abdullah replied that he thought Malindo Air stewardesses’ uniforms were acceptable. Their outfit are body-hugging but at least the “sensitive areas” are covered, he said, without elaborating.

This is the second time in two weeks that the issue of flight attendant uniforms has been brought up at the Dewan Negara.

Senator Hanafi Mamat said last Tuesday that the government should introduce shariah-compliant uniforms for flight stewardesses on the country’s airlines.

"We are proud that Malaysia is an Islamic country with its own cultural identity, but when our flight stewardesses dress sexily and disrespectfully, this will give tourists who use the services of our national carriers the wrong impression,” he said.