The business license of a boutique hotel in Melaka that went viral for being “gay-friendly” has been temporarily suspended by the city council.
The premises initially went viral through Malaysian Muslim preacher Firdaus Wong’s social media post, which shared a screenshot showing the hotel’s official website listing it as “gay-friendly.”
“If Muslim-friendly can be used to run a business, why not ‘Gay-friendly’, right?” Firdaus sarcastically asked.
Firdaus’s post then got the attention of the local city council, prompting them to investigate the matter before taking action against the premises. In a joint operation with Jabatan Agama Islam Melaka (JAIM) on 13 January, the authorities found 37 rooms left empty with no security guards or customers.
However, the authorities found two boxes of condoms in one of the unlocked rooms, as if the room had just been emptied.
The owner of the premises, however, was supposed to appear before Hang Tuah Jaya City Council (MPHTJ) to assist with the investigation and provide a statement, which did not happen. The owner’s initial failure to appear before Hang Tuah Jaya City Council (MPHTJ) officials meant that the investigation process into the charges of immoral activity could not be completed.
The owner of the hotel, however, had finally appeared this morning (15 January) to give a statement at the Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council (MPHTJ) at Melaka Mall.
MPHTJ Chairman Datuk Sapiah Haron confirmed the matter, saying that the hotel’s business license is temporarily suspended, and the hotel is not allowed to operate until further notice.
“The owner is a local citizen, and today we held discussions with the owner, the police, JAIM and MPHTJ to obtain further clarification. Whether the hotel can operate again or not will be determined after review and discussion with all parties involved,” Datuk Sapiah said, as reported by Sinar Harian.
Local authorities (PBT) are also reminded to be aware and monitor licensed business activities to prevent the licenses from being misused for illegal activities.
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