Here? In Malaysia?

I couldn't believe it at first. A multinationally owned five star hotel forcing its female accounts director to resign just because she decided to fulfill her religious obligation of covering her hair while at work.

In France, maybe. USA? Yeah, they're scared of female suicide bombers. But here in Malaysia? You better believe it. It's in the papers.

After Habsah Jaafar told the circumstances of her dismissal to the public the Renaissance Hotel management issued a statement saying she was not sacked because of the tudung issue but because of another matter between her and the Hotel management which shall remain secret because revealing it would put her in a bad light.

What rubbish. How convenient. While denying the allegations they cast aspersions on the character of a Muslim lady. If what she had done was so bad why did the hotel offer to take her back?

Why not come all out with it? After all these are serious allegations of religious discrimination at the workplace. It looks like they've been caught with their pants down and are clutching at straws to cover themselves up.

The hotel chain has been operating here in Malaysia for a long time. The management should be well aware of the religious obligations of its employees. Why does it insist on being Islamophobic?

Actually the whole episode is just the tip of the iceberg. Many have complained about the hotel industry.

When an female applicant who wears a tudung go for a job interview a question she'll be asked would be, 'would you be ready to take off your tudung when you're at work?' If the answer is no, that would usually be the last question for the applicant. Thank you, we'll get in touch.

Discriminated against in a country where the Official Religion is Islam. Here? In Malaysia? You better believe it.