According to China Press, Nga said it was the woman’s right to wear shorts as she was not a Muslim, adding that her freedom was enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

“I hope that all municipal councils and local governments would learn from this incident and don’t be overzealous in issuing fines.

“In this incident, the (MPKB officers) should have advised and educated her first. After all, she is not a Muslim,” he said.

Nga said Malaysia was a multiracial and multi-religious country, and that mutual respect was essential.

Yesterday, the council issued a compound notice to the 35-year-old business owner during a spot check by its enforcement officers at her shop.

MPKB president Rosnazli Amin reportedly said the woman committed an offence under Section 34(2)(b) of the Business and Industrial Trade By-Laws 2019, which states that non-Muslim business owners and their non-Muslim employees must wear “decent clothes”.

According to the compound notice, which has been circulated on social media, the woman has seven days to settle the amount or face legal action.

Meanwhile, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng said the party’s legal bureau will provide the woman with free legal aid to challenge the compound notice, if needed.

At a press conference in Penang, Lim claimed the incident was unconstitutional and that the council officers were acting like “moral policemen”.

“Dressing decently is a given in government departments, but this is in the woman’s own premises. Our senior lawyers will take up her case,” said the Bagan MP.