What happens when law enforcers take it upon themselves to 'propagate' rules and regulations? What happens when the law enforcers in question represent a religious agency? Does upholding the law mean they have the right to act and speak in any manner they deem fit?

This is a dilemma that faces Muslims, especially the youths, in our country. The recent raid by the Federal Territory Religious Department (Jawi) at a popular club in Kuala Lumpur served as yet another example of how overzealousness vis-a-vis duty to nation fails to serve any purpose at all.

The Sunday Mail on Jan 23 highlighted the predicament of 100 Muslim youths, half of whom were women, detained in the faux pas raid on Jan 20. Not only were these youngsters humiliated, the women were also sexually harassed, with the officers making derogatory remarks about their dressing.

The high-handed manner in which the raid was conducted clearly reflects the fact that the raiding party concerned had no intention of promulgating the Quran's teachings to the Muslim youngsters.

Rather, the raiding party was all consumed by anger over the sight of Muslims hanging out in pubs enjoying themselves. The officers, under the myth that tackling the bulls by the horns was the best approach in this case, only ended up making a mockery of the department. Locking up the youngsters for almost 12 hours only resulted in the whole raiding exercise exploding into a flop.