Cut the last colonial knots

Professor Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
My View - The Sun Daily
March 15, 2016

WE are facing a unique situation where the overall surface temperature is increasing at an unprecedented rate. At the same time, the budget recalibration is causing another form of "heat" making it even hotter, figuratively speaking. As to the former, the public has been warned against open burning and wasting water especially in states that are said to be "sizzling". In the case of the latter, the public sector in particular has been reminded to follow the guidelines to reduce expenditure.

But that is not all. There are still many other steps that could be taken by a larger segment of the population on a daily basis. This relates to the way we dress to cope with the "rising temperature". For example, it makes little sense to wear a "business suit" – jacket and tie – in such a situation as this could be mean more sweating "under the collar" – literally and figuratively. In return it would mean the use of more energy especially air-conditioners that must be set lower to provide a more effective cooling ambient. Air conditioning, even in normal circumstances, has been noted to incur higher energy bills forcing authorities to set a mandatory lower limit of 24°C as the standard in all institutions and offices. Otherwise, it is not unusual to hear complaints that the room temperature is "freezing" – even from European counterparts.

Worst, there is a 9-10°C difference in temperature outside the room (including the corridors and washroom). This can translate into huge saving if only the temperature can be brought down considerably, which means some degree of "dressing down" is encouraged. To quote Richard Branson, the consummate entrepreneur: "These days, it's possible that wearing a jacket and a tie to a business meeting may make a bad first impression – in fact, it can be more risky than turning up under-dressed, as anyone who has had their fancy silk tie snipped off as yours truly will attest.

"For years, my signature look was jeans and a wool sweater, and if you saw me in a jacket and tie, it is sure sign of bad news (it likely meant that I had a meeting with some bankers!)," he further attested. Ties according to him are reserved for rare events like weddings and funerals. Generally speaking he considered them an anachronism – even for bankers.

So there you are. It is all right to cut out the colonial knots, alongside with the jackets, and that life still goes on. What could be a better alternative in dealing with the intense heatwave that costs very little. Imagine if this is done across all sectors, the saving would be considerable. In addition, Malaysians will always have another option, by wearing batik which is even more comfortable without having to sacrifice the official look.

Here we must acknowledge the legendary Nelson Mandela who always felt comfortable in his batik outfit, including at formal international ones, even state visits from Queen Elizabeth. His batik was usually a silk shirt adorned in a bright and colourful print. Batik although originally from Indonesia, claimed as cultural heritage of the country by Unesco, has been popularised by the former South African president. The shirts specially designed for Mandela's use have been named "Madiba" after his clan. It was first worn by the then newly elected president at the dress rehearsal of the opening of South Africa's first democratic parliament in May 1994. Since then Mandela has worn this style of shirt many times putting us to shame; we are still stuck with the colonial kind of dressing, come what may – rain or shine.

It began with a gift from the then president Suharto to Mandela on a visit to Indonesia in 1990. Mandela was impressed with the attire and it is said that he fell in love at first sight. When asked later why he loved batik so much, he said "It's just about taste" which then became his signature identity. Besides having similarities with African textile designs inspired by elements of nature, it could also symbolise his fight against apartheid. In other words, the batik could be a symbol of South African unity apart from a fellowship among developing countries.

So let us use this occasion to reassess our dress code. The message here is that if we are unable to change what is external to us, it is unlikely that we will be able to change what is internal to us. As the saying goes: No one can change an iron, except for its rust. Similarly, no one can change a person if not for his mindset, even in matters of dressing.