A young couple in Mersing, Johor, was caught for khalwat after checking into a hotel room that was subsequently raided by enforcement officers from the Johor State Religious Department (JAINJ).
The man, who is in his early 20s, had checked into the hotel with his girlfriend, who is still a teenager.
According to a viral Facebook post by JAINJ, the couple checked into the room separately. The man, who arrived on a motorcycle, entered the room just ten minutes before officers knocked on the door at approximately 2:30 AM. He opened the door five minutes later, where officers found the girl standing between the television and the bed.
The pair admitted they were not married, but the officers soon discovered something shocking in their phone galleries.
Indecent acts recorded for “future viewing”
JAINJ revealed that one of its officers noticed something suspicious: a mobile phone placed on a table, angled toward the bed. Upon further inspection, the man unlocked his phone to reveal a gallery containing multiple recordings of indecent acts filmed at the same hotel on a different day.
A search of the girl’s phone uncovered similar videos.
Investigations revealed that the man works part-time in Mersing, while the girl is currently unemployed. The pair claimed to have known each other since their primary school days.
“Their relationship blossomed after they completed school, eventually leading them to commit these indecent acts,” JAINJ stated.
When asked if they had plans to marry, the man could not provide an immediate answer. JAINJ officers contacted both sets of parents for the bail process. The couple was subsequently charged under Section 27(1)(b) of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment for khalwat, as well as Section 23 for Zina (adultery).
“As for their marriage, we leave that to their respective families,” the department added.
For these charges, the couple faces a prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to RM8,000.
