A married Malaysian man in his 50s was recently caught for Khalwat at a massage centre in Muar, Johor.
The State Religious Department (JAINJ) deployed officers to the premises to conduct a check, where they detained the man who was receiving a massage from a Thai woman, who is in her 20s, inside a room covered with a large tapestry.
For illustration purposes only
A married man in his 50s was caught for khalwat at a massage centre in Muar
According to the spokesperson of JAINJ, the man was only wearing shorts, while the Thai woman was in a revealing outfit.
The spokesperson also said that the massage centre, which operated on Levels 1 and 2, had dimmed lights in every massage room, prompting the officers to use flashlights during the raid.
“The man was in the state for work purposes, and his wife and children were in another state.”
“The Thai woman carried a valid passport, but was not a Muslim. So, she’s not under our jurisdiction. The man was caught under Section 27 of Malaysia’s Syariah Criminal Offences Act for Khalwat.”
“Go look for a male masseuse in the Kampung”
In a Facebook post by JAINJ, the spokesperson urged Muslim men to look for a male therapist if they are looking for a massage service, and claimed that men who look for female masseuses are often looking for something else, not a massage to eliminate body pain.
“Many men just wanted to feel good when women touch their bodies. If they wanted something extra, they would pay more.”
“If you really want to eliminate pain, go look for a male masseuse in the Kampung,” the spokesperson said.
JAINJ is actively conducting raids in various premises to catch those who are suspected of Khalwat. In September, JAINJ also detained a 30-year-old married man for Khalwat at one of the hotels in the state, which offered “extra services” by foreign masseuses.
