PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA - If a student's baju kurung is found to be too thin or close to being transparent, the school can demand that she wears a camisole underneath her school uniform, said Education Deputy Director-General (Schools) Datuk Noor Rezan Bapoo Hashim.

At present, it is up to the principal to use his/her discretion and decide if female students should wear an undergarment, such as a camisole, so that their bras are not visible through their white blouses.

'If the baju kurung is too transparent, the school can insist that the student wears a camisole underneath,' Noor Rezan said.

She added that this issue had been taken into consideration in a recent review of the school rules.

'We are now at the final stage of studying the legal implications of the review of the school rules.'

Noor Rezan was responding to suggestions by Munirah Bahari, vice-president of The National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia, that the uniform worn by girls at government schools was 'sexy' and 'encouraged rape and pre-marital sex'.

Munirah said on Wednesday that according to Islamic precepts, it was important to cover up, to fend off social ills, including 'rape, sexual harassment and even premarital sex.'

Her remarks drew immediate responses from several NGOs, teachers and students, who termed them 'baseless' and 'ridiculous.'

The Star checked with several schools in Ipoh, Alor Setar, Malacca and the Klang Valley and found that only a small number of them have made it compulsory for their female students to wear a camisole beneath their uniform.

A teacher in Puchong, however, said while it was not necessary for girls to wear a camisole to school, most of them had made it a habit to do so.