Most unwed couples would take every opportunity to spend time in each other’s presence by going out on a date at a café or for the more daring ones, a hotel room.
A young Muslim couple were recently nabbed by the Melaka Religious Affairs Department (JAIM) while they were spending some “quality time” at a hotel room in the Melaka Tengah district.
Caught in hotel room together
Harian Metro reported that three couples, consisting of six individuals aged 19 to 23, were nabbed by JAIM enforcement officers from 11pm to 4pm on Saturday (Mar 18).
According to JAIM director Datuk Che Sukri Che Mat, the raid was successfully carried out thanks to public tip-offs and intelligence.
Claimed to be playing video games
He told the Malay daily that one of the couples, which hailed from Pahang, took around 10 minutes to open the door when JAIM enforcement officers knocked on it at 2.30am.
“Upon questioning, the man, who works as a mechanic, said he wanted to invite his partner to play football video games before both of them were arrested for staying in a hotel room on suspicion of not being married (khalwat).
Che Shukri said another couple, who were university students, claimed to have driven all the way to Melaka from Johor to celebrate their birthday before getting a hotel room for themselves.
He said that all of the couples will be charged under Section 53 of the Melaka State Syariah Offenses Enactment 1991.
Khalwat, or ‘close proximity’, is an offense punishable under Section 115 of the Muslim Law Enactment 1963, anyone who is caught alone together with a person of the opposite gender is liable to a jail term not more than four months or a fine more than RM200.
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