The law barring unmarried Muslim couples from travelling together on motorcycles in Terengganu has been enforced since it was passed at the state assembly in 2015.
Last week, the 52 individuals, aged 16 to 42, were detained during an operation carried out by the Terengganu Religious Affairs Department (JHEAT) together with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the police.
Musa said taking action against unmarried couples travelling together on motoryclces was allowed under the amended Syariah Criminal Offences (Ta’zir) (Terengganu) Enactment 2001.
“This makes it an offence and cannot be challenged. Anyone who wants to question this law should do their homework first,” he told FMT.
Before this, human rights lawyer Saiful Izham Ramli said that even though the law allowed for JHEAT to ask for the police and JPJ’s assistance to make arrests, they should clarify which enactment allowed for the detaining of the couples.
He had said he was not aware of any clause which allowed the arrest of unmarried Muslim couples traveling on motorcycles together.
Previously, JHEAT defended its actions, saying it wanted to prevent social ills in the state which stemmed from the free mingling of men and women.
Muslim couples freed after warning on riding m-cycles together