Private hire driver allegedly fined for wearing collarless shirt

MALAYSIA: A private hire driver was allegedly fined by the Malaysian Road Transport Department (JPJ) for wearing a collarless shirt, triggering a wave of discussion online over what constitutes “decent” attire for drivers.

According to a report by Sin Chew Daily, the driver, identified as Sobri Kasah, shared on Facebook that he was shocked that he was penalised not for a traffic offence but for his choice of clothing.

Sobri wrote that he initially thought he was being stopped for a traffic violation, only to discover that the issue was his collarless shirt. “This is the first time I’ve been fined in over 30 years. No warning or room for negotiation, just signing and accepting the penalty,” he said.

He added, “Now I know that being a private-hire car driver is not easy. Wearing a shirt without a collar is also considered to be violating the regulations on untidy, untidy and unclean dress.”

The post quickly went viral, drawing a flood of comments from social media users.

Some netizens supported JPJ’s decision, arguing that private-hire drivers should maintain a neat and professional image when providing services to the public.

Others, however, questioned whether the rule was too strict, saying that wearing a collarless shirt should not be treated as a legal offence.

JPJ has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.