Tanah Rata assemblyman Ho Chi Yang claimed that several students from a public university were recently fined for not complying with the dress code, including for dying their hair and “wearing too many earrings”.

He also claimed another university had required all male students to wear ties and leather shoes when sitting for any examination.

Ho, who leads DAP Youth’s university affairs bureau, said universities should focus on producing students who are intelligent and innovative instead of making them adhere to strict dress codes.

He said even Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and some members of his Cabinet have chosen not to wear ties while the dress code in Parliament had also been relaxed.

“When a university implements a strict dress code, it does not merely trample on a student’s freedom to dress but also, directly or indirectly, suppresses their creativity.

“In the long run, such a restriction only hinders the development of higher education in Malaysia, which should be based more on a student’s creativity and courage to challenge existing thinking,” he said in a statement today.

FMT has reached out to higher education minister Khaled Nordin for comment.