Malindo Air has denied a news report earlier today that it requested interviewees to strip down their tops during a walk-in interview.

“In perspective of an article on Malindo Air’s recruitment process of cabin crew in The Malay Mail newspaper dated April 5, 2017, the airline denies the allegations upon internal investigations done.

“Grooming checks for visible marks are conducted privately by female supervisors in a professional manner and is part of the interviewing process.

“Herein candidates are briefed ahead and consent from each candidate is required prior proceeding to ensure there is no prominent marks will be visible while wearing the uniform,” the airline said in a statement today, without mentioning how the checks are conducted.

Malindo Air has been mired in controversy after it reportedly made the request in a walk-in interview on March 11.

Its public relations and communications director Raja Sa’adi Raja Amrin, however defended the move, saying it was the right of the employer to request potential flight attendants to expose their chests to interviewers.

He, however clarified that the interviewees were required to remove their tops, but not bras as claimed by the complainants who went for the interviews.

The airline wanted to see if applicants had visible marks due to the material of Malindo’s uniform, as their uniforms were "partially see-through", he was quoted as saying by The Malay Mail. 

"It is not an issue. We have the right to conduct such body checks on them. I think most airlines do the same," he said, adding that this was a norm for most airlines as the cabin crew needed to be presentable.

“We need to see if they (applicants) have scars, pimples or tattoos that could be seen through the uniform. Our flight attendants wear a corset inside and if it is covered by the corset, it is okay," he added.

Malindo Air's stewardesses are clad in either a high-collared white blouse or a white kebaya top paired with a sarong.

“We need to know if there are scars or any marks as you can see their legs when they walk,” he said, responding to question that the interviewees claimed they had to bare their legs thigh-high.

"The slit is also tailored in such a manner where it will enable flight attendants to move around easily, especially during an emergency," he elaborated.

Malaysiakini has attempted to contact Raja Sa'adi and the airline's CEO Chandran Rama Muthy for their comments.

'Ridiculous and disgusting'

The Malay Mail also quoted several stewardesses who served in other airlines, who complained that they had never encountered such screening procedure, and described it as "ridiculous and disgusting".

According to the daily, Malindo Air’s interviewees were told to expose their chests, lift their skirts, fold up their pants or remove their pantyhose.

Malaysia Airlines cabin crew staff Sherifah Muhazlisa Syed Mohd Bakar reportedly recalled that her employer only asked those with long sleeves to roll up to check for tattoos and scars but never required them to remove their clothes.

“The official from the airline should know better," she said.

Another flight attendant with AirAsia said it was unacceptable to ask female interviewees to remove their clothes to check their skin.

"My current employer asked if I had any tattoos or scars but I was never asked to take my clothes off," he said on the condition of anonymity.

"The airline (AirAsia) will not have a problem with stewards or stewardess having tattoos or scars as long as they were covered by the uniform. This is the 21st century. No organisation should be asking their employees to remove their clothes. It is extremely derogatory," he added.

"That is crazy! I do not understand why they would have to do that. Those girls are not there to show off their bodies,” said a flight attendant from Singapore Airlines.

Malindo Air posted the cabin crew walk-in interview on its Facebook page on March 3.