The women were arrested as they came off the stage

Malaysian Beauty Queens Face Jail

If found guilty they could be fined and jailed for up to two years.

The women have already been convicted of indecency under new laws which prohibit Muslim women and men from wearing clothes deemed to be "revealing".

Their case has attracted widespread publicity in the Muslim world and much debate inside Malaysia itself.

The new laws demand women wear more traditional clothing

The teenagers were arrested as they came off the stage at the beauty contest under the Syariah Criminal Enactment (Selangor) 1995. They were put in handcuffs by officers from the JAIS, the religious department charged with implementing the new rules.

BBC reporter, David Willis, explains the background to the controversy

Many people in the country were unaware of the regulations and the country's Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Mathathir Mohamad, went so far as to criticise the way the beauty contest arrests were handled.

But the Director of the JAIS has defended the actions of his department. According to Datuk Nahwari indecent behaviour includes dressing indecently, overstepping the social norms, unmarried couples sitting together, embracing or sitting on each other's lap.

Who will the JAIS arrest next?

Malaysia's International Trade Minister, Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz, recently expressed the concern that foreign investors may misinterpret the indecency rules and shy away from bringing their money into the country.

Malaysia will shortly stage the Commonwealth Games and many sporting groups are also worried their women athletes may be the next to be arrested by the JAIS.

Outside commentators are surprised that this whole issue has surfaced in one of the world's fastest growing economies. Indeed, they argue the rate at which Malaysia is progressing is bound to put more young people at odds with traditional Muslim values.