Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said people who fully cooperate with investigations should not have to wear orange detention garb when brought to court before being formally charged. He repeated this call after Friday prayers at Masjid Bukit Indah in Ampang Jaya on September 4, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4].
Anwar said the practice of making individuals wear the bright orange detention clothing should be reconsidered to avoid creating negative public perceptions. "I said yesterday that before prosecution, or before a person is brought to court and charged, there is no need to wear orange detention garb," he said. "So far, I respect the view that if someone is cooperating with an investigation, there is no need to make them wear orange detention garb because it creates a different perception," the prime minister added [2].
His remarks follow a recent court appearance on September 1, 2026, when a former minister was brought to court wearing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s orange detention garb. The court appearance was for a remand application connected to a hotel lease probe involving Lembaga Tabung Haji in Saudi Arabia [1, 2, 3, 4].
Anwar’s intervention comes amid public debate about the impact of detainees wearing such garb before formal charges are filed. Critics argue that the practice can stigmatize individuals prematurely, possibly affecting their right to fair perception.
The prime minister's comments on September 3 were reaffirmed in the speech on September 4, indicating the government may review policies on detainee presentation in court in the coming days [1, 2, 3, 4].
