Malaysia: Separate lines for Men & Women in stores...

To curb social ills like "kissing" and to "protect women from being groped". (What is wrong with these people? I mean, really.)

The chief of Malaysia's only Islamic-run state has ordered stricter enforcement of laws requiring men and women to queue at separate counters in shops, a report said Tuesday.

Kelantan state chief minister Nik Aziz Nik Mat said the laws were required to curb social ills like public kissing between young couples, and to protect women from being groped while queuing up.

The New Straits Times quoted him as lamenting that the rules, which have been in place since 1996, are not being enforced by department stores, and ordered the local council to fine offenders.

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Nik Aziz is also the spiritual leader of the Pan-Malaysia Islamic party (PAS), which aims to turn Malaysia into a theocratic state under Islamic rule. The party has made headlines for initiatives like introducing fines for women wearing skimpy clothes, but in recent years has begun introducing reforms designed to tone down its hardline reputation and woo young voters.

I don't think this is going to help that effort.