DUBAI — The Dubai municipality is offering abayas to women who do not follow the Emirate’s dress code during their visit to the centers, Khaleej Times reported on Tuesday.



The move comes after “many complaints about scantily-clad female customers,” it reported. “According to the ‘Dubai Code of Conduct’ published on the council’s website, an official business or business casual dress code shall be adopted by all visitors of Dubai’s government buildings as well as business buildings and office towers.



Access to Dubai’s official and business buildings may be denied if dress code is considered inappropriate,” Khaleej Times stated.



The code on decency states: “In all other public places such as streets, shopping malls and restaurants, shorts and skirts shall be of appropriate length.



Moreover, clothing shall not indecently expose parts of the body, be transparent, or display obscene or offensive pictures and slogans.”



A municipality official sounded upset with some of the clothes the women visiting their centers wear. “You won’t believe what kind of clothes some women wear when they visit us,” she said.



The news follows a video which has gone viral in the past 24 hours, showing Egyptian actress Abeer Sabry being told off by what the paper claims to be a UAE local woman about not respecting the dress code.



The woman was heard saying: “This is my country, I say what I want to say. Wear respectful clothes!” Sabry, and another woman who was with her, responded: “Who are you? Is it your job to tell me this? What does it have to do with you?” — Al Arabiya News