JOHOR BAHRU – A man arrested for allegedly being in close proximity (khalwat) with a woman in Skudai claimed he was wearing borrowed women's clothing simply because he found the attire more comfortable.
The arrest was made by enforcement officers from the Johor Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ) at 11am on Monday, following a public complaint regarding a rented room in a local shoplot.
Upon arrival, officers found the ground-floor grille door locked, but they successfully gained entry and proceeded to the upper floor to conduct the raid.
“After knocking on several doors, one room was opened five minutes later by a man wearing women’s nightwear.
“At first, he was thought to be a woman, but a further inspection confirmed his identity based on his voice, haircut and identification documents,” the department stated in an official release.
Officers discovered a woman standing behind the door, also dressed in nightwear and appearing visibly anxious.
A search of the premises revealed a dishevelled bed and a wardrobe containing a mixture of men’s and women’s clothing.
Initial investigations confirmed that the man, who is in his 20s, is single and employed in Johor Bahru.
The woman, of a similar age, is a divorcee also working in the city.
The pair admitted to cohabiting in the room for over a month, citing a desire to save on living costs by sharing the RM450 monthly rent.
When questioned about their presence together, the couple denied any misconduct and informed officers that they were currently fasting for Ramadan.
The man reiterated his explanation that his choice of women's clothing was purely a matter of personal comfort.
The couple has been detained for further investigation under Section 27 of the Johor Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1997.
If convicted, they face a fine of up to RM3,000, a prison sentence of up to two years, or both.