Show some respect and a dress-code law will never be needed

I doubt if there are many people in the UAE who have not raised their eyebrows at the sight of an individual, couple or group in a public place - be it the way they are dressed or the way they are behaving. I know I have.

And to those of you reading this and saying that you've never seen such a sight, I suggest you take a look in the mirror as it might be you we are all tutting at.

As with everything in life, there is always a minority that is ruining things for the majority.

Unfortunately, given the huge size of the expat community in the UAE, that minority is significantly big in terms of numbers, even if, as FNC member Hamad Ahmad Al Rahmoumi says, it is only one per cent of the population that is ignoring the culture and heritage of the UAE by dressing or behaving inappropriately.

So, it is no surprise that the matter is now being discussed at the highest levels in the country. On Tuesday, the Federal National Council quizzed Culture Minister Dr Abdul Rahman Al Owais on whether a law should be introduced to enforce a dress code.

There will be those who say it is an attempt to impose conservative views on a country that is recognised internationally for the success of its multi-culturalism. Others will see it as a way of ensuring that the national and expat populations can continue to live and work together long into the future.

For me, I hope that the UAE never has to go as far as bringing in a law to resolve the problem as it seems like an admission common sense and simple decency have failed.

Indeed, the answer for the expat population is surely as simple as the headline on the front of 7DAYS on Tuesday: "Show some respect."

Simon Pluckrose is Head of News at Al Sidra Media LLC, the publisher of 7DAYSinDubai.com, 7DAYSinAbuDhabi.com and 7DAYS