Kuala Lampur, Dec. 4 -- Recent moral raids have sparked wide public discussion, not only about the policing of "immoral activities," but more importantly about the legal safeguards that must govern any deprivation of liberty in Malaysia. Situations involving large-scale operations can easily blur the line between consensual private conduct and criminal wrongdoing, particularly when enforcement relies on confessions or an "admission of victimhood" to establish an offence.

These complexities highlight why constitutional protections and judicial oversight are indispensable components of the criminal justice process. Articles 5 and 8 of the Federal Constitution guarantee fundamental liberties and equality before the law, ensuring that the cr...