Summary

Saudi Arabia has postponed plans to replace male sales assistants in lingerie shops, saying it wants to give outlets more time to prepare for the move which has irritated the influential religious circles.

The government, which wants more women to work as part of its efforts to reduce reliance on foreign labour, took the decision last June and businesses were given a year to prepare for implementation.

that they were unable to comply with the deadline, the ministry’s decision is postponed until all the required preparations are finalised," state news agency SPA quoted the Labour Ministry as saying.

Many clerics and Islamists in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam which imposes a strict version of Sunni Islam, have opposed the idea as the start of reform process promoted by King Abdullah that they fear will liberalise the stringent system.

A Western diplomat said the move had irritated some of the most influential clerics in kingdom, where women are not allowed to drive and face employment restrictions because of the need to segregate sexes.
- Source: Reuters, via Stuff.co.nz, May 15, 2006