I refer to the Malaysiakini report Islamic group condemns 'sexy' school uniforms . This is an open letter to Munirah Bahari, vice-president of the Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM)

Assalamualaikum,

Dear Ms Munirah,

May I first say that though I respect your personal opinion on girls' school uniforms, your recent statement as vice-president and head of the women’s wing of the Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM) compels me, as a Malay-Muslim man, to write this open letter to you.

As I see it there are two assertions which need to be addressed per your original statement on this matter. Firstly, regarding the white school uniform being the cause of incidences of rape and moral decadence among schoolgirls and secondly, that female students’ lack of assertiveness causing them to get raped.

Let me say that linking the white school uniform to issues of rape, adultery and even prostitution as indicated in your statement is naive, simplistic and erroneous. You recommended that the colour of the school uniform be changed to remove the source of attraction for men. Do you honestly believe that by just changing the colour of the baju kurung , wearing a singlet within or wearing a tudung labuh (which I presume you suggest so that it covers a girl's chest) makes a person safer? What proof do you have to support the assertion you make that wearing clothing in the Muslim tradition or changing its colour will make it safer or as you put it in your statement, ‘ pakaian yang sopan dan menutup aurat boleh mencegah dan melindungi wanita daripada berlaku sebarang perkara yang tidak diingini’.

You suggest that the Education Ministry changes the colour of the girls’ school uniform. If white is not suitable, what other colour would you suggest? Blue or brown like a prefect's uniform? What colour would you consider to be ‘less lustful’ to male eyes?

Ms Munirah, did you know that there is a disturbing trend that has been observed where a lot of Malay men find it a thrill to have sex with a girl wearing a tudung . Quite a few pornographic handphone videos originating from this country now involve girls wearing the tudung . Would you suggest then that women should not wear the tudung ? The clothing a woman wears should not - and is not - the issue.

You mention that the lack of assertiveness by girls themselves makes them victims of rape. You imply that they were perhaps allowing for rape to happen or even had it coming: ‘ Apa yang terjadi sekarang ialah mereka tidak tegas dan membiarkan diri mereka diperlakukan apa-apa sahaja oleh sesiapa ’.

The two issues you pointed out (the colour of the uniform and girl's lack of assertiveness) in your statement seem to indicate that you place the blame of rape, adultery and prostitution onto women and girls themselves. Why do you do so? Do you perhaps think that those women and girls who have survived or have died because of rape were already looking for it and deserved it? It certainly seems so from the statement published:

‘ Di sinilah punca yang boleh kita saksikan bahawa pelajar perempuan itu sendiri mempunyai daya tarikan supaya lelaki mendekatinya. Oleh itu terjadilah perkara-perkara seperti pencabulan, penzinaan dan sebagainya ’. Are you that sheltered from the realities of life?

It seems that you may not know of the brutal rape and murder case of Noor Suzaily Mokhtar, a 24-year-old computer engineer who was raped, sodomised and murdered in a bus in 2000. Hanafi Mat Hassan, the driver of the bus, was found guilty of raping and murdering Noor Suzaily. He was sentenced to death for the murder and ordered to be given 12 strokes for the rape. Noor Suzaily was wearing ‘ pakaian yang sopan dan menutup aurat ’. Her clothes did not prevent nor protect her from being raped.

Rape is a violent crime and is an exercise of power by men and their desire to subjugate those weaker and smaller than them. The way women dress is not the cause of rape.

By saying what you did and believing it, you are contributing to the misconception of men which excuses them from actions such as domestic violence, incest, sexual violence, rape, molestation. You point the finger at girls and women as being intentionally provocative to men. You indicate that men cannot help themselves and really the girls themselves are to blame. You dishonour the memories of not only Noor Suzaily but the many women and girls who have been and continue to be victims of sexual violence.

Your statement is clear evidence that we must work not only to change the attitudes of men but we must also change the mindset of women acting as moral guardians who are every ready to go after their fellow sisters. As you are also a leader in your own right, I urge you to take the lead in changing society's attitudes towards women by making a public commitment to treat women as fellow human beings of equal worth, respect and dignity.

You obviously had good intentions when you issued this statement and thought that it was your duty as a good Muslim woman to bring forth this issue to the attention of the Education Ministry. I applaud your concern for the personal safety of women and girls, and I hope that this episode does not discourage your interest in social issues.

However, I must say to you that the result of your environment and upbringing may have provided you with a blinkered view of the world. Open your mind, talk to organisations such as Awam (All Women's Action Society), WAO (Women's Aid Organisation) or Jemaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) and please don't forget that the road to hell is also littered with good intentions.