A married Malaysian couple, each with spouses of their own, was caught together in a hotel room after allegedly travelling 600km by motorcycle, claiming they only did so to save on hotel costs.
In a recent update, the religious enforcement team under the Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAINJ) said the couple was detained during a late-night khalwat operation across several hotels in Kluang.
JAINJ said the couple, who were in their 40s and 50s respectively, were found in a suspicious situation after travelling from a northern state.
Both individuals admitted they were married to other people.
Took 15 minutes to open the door
According to JAINJ, when officers knocked on the hotel door, there was no immediate response.
After about 15 minutes of waiting, they obtained a spare key from the hotel staff.
However, the door had also been locked with a chain from inside.
Once the officers managed to enter, they found the man and woman fully dressed but visibly startled.
Claimed to sleep separately
Inside the room, officers noticed a blanket and pillow arranged on the floor.
The man told authorities he slept there while the woman slept on the bed.
He also insisted that they had done nothing wrong and merely booked the room together to cut down on expenses.
Despite their explanation, both were arrested for khalwat, as they failed to provide valid proof of a mahram or lawful relationship.
Familiar pattern in such cases, says enforcement
JAINJ stated that this is a recurring pattern, especially involving women who are said to be going through marital issues or divorce.
Officers added that some men exploit these situations by pretending to offer emotional support, only to take advantage of the women’s vulnerability.
The couple is being investigated under Section 27 of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment for khalwat.
Three more couples caught in same operation
During the same raid, JAINJ detained three more couples:
- A divorced man in his 30s with a woman in her 20s who is listed as single in the system.
- A young unmarried couple in their 20s; the woman had travelled from Muar to attend a wedding in Kluang.
- A man from Kluang and a woman from Kulai, both in their 20s, who had arranged to meet after receiving their paychecks.
In one case, a man claimed he went to the woman’s room because she said she felt lonely attending a wedding alone.
Hotels in Kluang reportedly full that night
JAINJ noted that hotel rooms in Kluang were nearly fully booked that night despite no major expos or entertainment events being happening in the area.
They reminded the public to avoid situations that could lead to suspicion and moral misconduct.
