President Halimah Yacob Spoke Out About Tangs Hijab Issue in Facebook

Tangs has been in the headlines recently and not for a good reason.

Basically, a promoter was preparing to start work at one of the booths in Tangs when two Tangs managers approached her and told her to remove her hijab.

Apparently, religious head coverings do not adhere to the grooming standards put into place by the departmental store.

They did change their stance a day later after the incident went viral on social media.

But by then, it was too late and notable characters in Singapore has spoken out about Tang’s behaviour.

One of which is Madame President Halimah Yacob.

President Halimah Yacob Spoke Out About Tangs Hijab Issue in Facebook

In a Facebook post on 20 Aug 2020, the president of Singapore has some harsh words regarding the incident.

She highlighted that in Singapore, there is “no place” for discrimination in any form and against anyone, especially at the workplace.

People, she pointed out, should be assessed “solely” on their ability to do their jobs.

“Discrimination at the workplace is particularly disturbing because it deprives the person affected from earning a living.”

During this period of Covid-19 where everyone is concerned about their jobs, these incidents of discrimination merely threaten people and worsen anxieties.

She hopes that diversity, which is already embraced by the Singapore society, will be embraced by employers too.

You can read her Facebook Post below:

This isn’t the first time the issue of wearing a hijab during work for Muslim women has cropped up.

Back in 2013, people in Singapore were wondering why frontliners like the police, nurses and those in the SAF were not allowed to wear hijabs while at work.

It was mentioned, then, that these people are required to be in uniform which doesn’t allow any religious items to be displayed, and off-duty, they are allowed to wear their hijab if they want to.

Not The First Political Figure To Comment

Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad said in a Facebook post on Wednesday (19 Aug) that the incident raised an “important issue”.

“To me, this is an important issue for the community. Workplaces are an important part of the common space where people interact and work with one another regardless of cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds”.

“Employers should be thoughtful of the policies and practices they set, including inclusivity at their workplaces”, he wrote.

Zaqy said The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep), who confirmed it’s looking into the matter, makes it clear that “recruitment and hiring are to be based on merit and the ability to perform the job.”

As Tafep previously stated, religious attire should generally be allowed at workplaces, “unless employers have uniforms or dress code requirements that are suited to the nature of their work, or for operational and safety reasons”.

Zaqy urged employers to regularly review their policies and take into consideration the “views and sensitivities” of their customers, employees, and business partners.