Hello young lovers, you're under arrest

Press, 31 December 1982, Page 17

Hello young lovers, you're under arrest

Kissing and cuddling in public places will soon be illegal in Malaysia, where Government and Islamic officials have been instructed to draw up a new morals law. Datuk Haji Muhammad Nasir, the Minister in charge of the legislation, intends to ban public kisses even in such well-known lovers’ haunts as the lake gardens in Kuala Lumpur. Love will also be off-limits in Penang’s botanical gardens and polo grounds, two spots favoured by Australian

airmen from the Butterworth R.A.A.F. base. Other targets for the new law will be those “improperly and scantily dressed,” women going topless on the beach, those arrested in vice dens, and anyone caught necking in the back row of a cinema. There has been an instant public outcry against the planned morals law, and foreign diplomats express scepticism over its effectiveness. One said: “You simply can’t wipe out immorality by bringing in legislation.”

A West European diplomat based in Kuala Lumpur said the proposal “was ridiculous.” He asked: "Does this mean that I will not even be able to kiss my wife when she leaves or arrives at the airport? This law is going to create a lot of problems and embarrassment to innocent people whose only ‘offence’ would be to show their love for their spouses.” An executive of an American petroleum company said: “It’s a helluva way to curb man's natural instincts. The next thing you know is that

they will want fornicators stoned to death like in the Dark Ages.” Several critics have accused the Government of inconsistency by imposing a public decency law, while at the same time raking in money from gambling and brewing, two practices prohibited under Islam. Malaysia is the only country in the Association of South-East Asian Nations to have gambling. Government

sources admit that the morals law was proposed by Islamic extremists in the ruling coalition, and followed complaints that present laws discriminate against Muslims. At present any unmarried Muslim committing khalwat (being in close proximity to a member of the opposite sex) is hauled before religious courts and fined. If the partner is a non-Muslim he or she is allowed to go free.

From

ERROL DE SILVA

in Singapore