JOHOR BARU, March 21 — The issue of a woman dressed in shorts, who was earlier prevented by security guards from entering Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) here, has been settled amicably, said Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon.
He considered the case settled after both parties had met and settled their differences.
“All I can say is the issue (of the woman dressed in shorts) has been mutually resolved.
“On our side, we have also reminded (the security guard) on the matter. So, I will leave it to the hospital’s concessionaire and the security guard company, to take further action,“ he said in a short statement.
Ling was responding to a woman who shared her bad experience on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday after being barred and scolded by a HSA security guard for wearing shorts that just skimmed above her knees.
She claimed that the ordeal had left her being uncomfortable despite the doctor urgently calling for her.
The woman, identified by her X handle as Carol Yong, said she rushed as her doctors needed to urgently meet her at HSA.
Despite informing the guard that she was requested by the doctors to be in hospital, Yong was still barred by the security guard from entering.
She was only allowed to enter the hospital’s premises after a nurse gave her a pair of patient pants.
Yong also claimed that the security guard kept harassing her and constantly checked on her throughout her appointments with the doctors.
“I don’t know if this is a hospital security guard or a prison warden. Seems like the same,“ she wrote.
In an update yesterday, Yong said HSA had reached out and resolved the issue with her.
She said that the security guard had also acknowledged what he had said and apologised, as did the hospital.
There have been other instances where patients or visitors have faced similar issues regarding hospital dress code policies nationwide.
While government hospitals are allowed to have dress codes, it is not mandatory and merely serves as a guideline for visitors and patients.
Recently, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad stressed on the need to enhance health services in the hospital’s emergency department by prioritising patients based on the severity of their illnesses rather than their clothing.
