A man in Kelantan, believed to have committed Khalwat (being alone with the opposite sex who is not a family member), tried to evade the state religious department (JAHEAIK) by “seeking shelter” and hiding on the 19th floor’s balcony of an apartment.
JAHEAIK had no choice but to request assistance from the Kota Bharu Fire & Rescue Department to prevent any unwanted accidents.
Kota Bharu Fire and Rescue Station Chief, Deputy Fire Chief Zukeri Shafie, said his department received an emergency call at 9.27 AM on Wednesday (May 7) and arrived at the scene at around 9:42 AM, reported Sinar Harian.
Upon arriving at the location, Zukeri discovered the 30-year-old man hiding on the balcony to avoid being caught by the religious department officers.
The man was later successfully persuaded by JAHEAIK officers and firefighters to leave the balcony. It took them only 15 minutes to get the man to safety as the operation ended at 9:57 AM.
The man was then handed over to JAHEAIK for further action.
In December 2024, a man in Terengganu was sentenced to public caning by the Terengganu Shariah Court for repeated Khalwat. PDRM allowed only 70 people to witness the execution, which was carried out at a mosque.
PAS Youth Strategic Communications Director, Nazrul Nazir, said that the action to curb social ills was also in line with the Maqasid Syariah, which aims to preserve religion, morals, and human lineage.
Kelantan, on the other hand, is still considering implementing public caning if it can come up with effective SOPs. As of now, anyone found committing Khalwat in Kelantan will be fined up to RM5,000, or jailed for up to 2 years, or both, as per the Government of Kelantan Gazette.
Also read: PAS: All States Should Follow T’ganu’s Lead & Implement Public Caning
