Unmarried couples caught in Malaysia hotel raids

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8439899.stm

Unmarried couples caught in Malaysia hotel raids

By Jennifer Pak
BBC News, Kuala Lumpur


Morality police targeted New Year's revellers
Fifty-two unmarried couples could face charges of sexual misconduct
and jail terms after being caught in hotel rooms by Malaysia's Islamic
morality police.
Scores of officers conducted raids on budget hotels on New Year's Day
in the western state of Selangor.
Those detained in the early hours of New Year's Day were mainly
students and young factory workers.
The Muslim couples are expected to be charged with the offence of
close proximity, or Khalwat.
Under Malaysia's Islamic Sharia Law, couples who are not married to
each other should not be in a secluded area or confined space, which
could give rise to suspicion that they were engaged in immoral acts.
A spokesman for the Selangor State Islamic Department says they chose
New Year's Day because many people are known to commit this offence
when celebrating a major holiday.
If convicted, the couples could get a maximum penalty of two years in
prison and a fine.
Sharia laws in Malaysia apply only to Malay Muslims, who make up over
half the population.