By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |
The question has resurfaced following the recent visit of Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to a Vaisakhi celebration at a Shah Alam gurdwara.
Zahid, who is also president of United Malays National Organisation (Umno), was seen wearing a songkok throughout the visit. Photos shared on his Facebook page showed him in the gurdwara’s langgar hall, trying his hand at making chapati and addressing the congregation — all while wearing the traditional Malay headgear.
The songkok is widely worn by men across Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and parts of the southern Philippines. Typically made of black velvet or felt, it is a staple of formal Malay attire, often paired with the baju Melayu for official, religious and ceremonial occasions.
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This is not without precedent. Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, wore a songkok when he attended the opening of Gurdwara Sahib Alor Setar in Kedah on Feb 3, 1968.
“I recall seeing photos of the event,” said retired teacher Malkiat Singh Lopo, who documented it in the book Sikhs in Malaysia Series: Volume Two.
From a religious standpoint, the requirement in a gurdwara is clear: the head must be covered. Paguman Singh, a former secretary of the Malaysian Gurdwaras Council (MGC), noted that visitors commonly use scarves or caps, including at Harmandir Sahib.
“Any head covering that fulfils this requirement is generally acceptable,” he told Asia Samachar.
Former prime minister Najib Razak also attended a Vaisakhi gathering at Gurdwara Tatt Khalsa Diwan Malaya in 2009, less than a month after taking office, wearing a black songkok. He wore a similar songkok at another Vaisakhi event in Petaling Jaya in 2013.
Sikh author Karminder Singh Dhillon sees little issue with the practice. “It is a form of headgear, and it covers the head,” he said.
He added that historical visits have featured a range of head coverings. Pakistan’s former president Zia-ul-Haq once wore a Kashmiri cap during a visit to a Malaysian gurdwara, while local officials have also attended wearing the songkok.
“The Klang district officer had come to Klang gurdwara when I was a school boy – wearing a songkok,” he said.
“Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew used to wear a starched turban. Indian PM Narendra Modi has also been wearing a turban. But both cases have political undertones in wanting to please or appease Sikhs to win over their support,” he added.
Lee was photographed wearing a turban during visits to Sikh gurdwaras in Singapore, including at the Central Sikh Temple in 1963. His son, Lee Hsien Loong, has also done so on several occasions.
Ultimately, while styles may differ, the underlying principle remains consistent: respect is shown by covering the head — whether with a scarf, turban or songkok.
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