32 Muslim individuals didn’t have a good start to 2026 after being detained by the Johor Religious Department (JAINJ) for consuming alcohol during the New Year’s Eve celebration.
The youngest detainee was only 18 years old. The group comprised 25 men and seven women, including 26 locals and six Singaporeans.
None of those detained were students or civil servants. According to a statement by a JAINJ spokesperson, most of them were from other states and had travelled to Johor Bahru for the holidays and celebrations. They were caught drinking alcohol at an entertainment centre around 3 AM, and according to JAINJ, the premises were still operating at that hour.
“All those detained will be charged under Section 19 for consuming alcoholic beverages, an offence that carries a fine of up to RM3,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both.”
“They were transported in JAINJ enforcement trucks to the JAINJ office for further action.”
That night, the JAINJ Enforcement Office was crowded with family members acting as bailors, who waited until late afternoon for the bail process to be completed. The spokesperson said that many parents and close relatives were also seen in tears, visibly shocked by the incident and seemingly unable to believe that it had happened.
Meanwhile, another youth in Perlis was stuck at the Immigration centre after returning from the NYE celebration in Dannok, Thailand. The 18-year-old SPM graduate was found to have consumed ecstasy-laced carbonated drinks during his celebration and said he couldn’t recall anything after that.
Also read: Port Dickson Woman Outraged to Find Her Halal Daging Salai Eatery Falsely Listed as “Best Pork Shop”
