Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's administration is raising the status of batik, the once lowly traditional Malay textile, to that of 'official' dress, but critics say the move is yet another example of the government's preference for style over substance.
The driving force behind the revival of batik, once shunned as outdated dressing, is Mr Abdullah's wife, Endon Mahmood, who wants to create world status and demand for Malaysian batik under the slogan 'Malaysia Batik Crafted for the World'.
She has been behind numerous exhibitions and fashion shows since last year. An annual international batik design competition offers cash and a trophy as prizes.
Batik dress is now also preferred over western suits at government functions, in parliament and even corporate boardrooms.
Last week the government ordered 800,000 civil servants to wear Malaysian-made batik clothes to work on Saturdays.
With the ruling elite, their supporters and allied businessmen falling into line, demand for batik has shot up and so has the price.