Malaysia's Morality Police Arrest Divorced Couple for Khalwat

A divorced Malaysian couple hoping to rekindle their relationship have found themselves behind bars after the country's religious enforcement officers raided their hotel room in the southern state of Johor. The couple has been arrested for an Islamic moral offence called "Khalwat". Here's all you need to know. Late-night raid in Kluang Early on Sunday (Jan 18) officers of the Johor's Islamic Religious Department, known as JAINJ, detained a couple at around 1.15am in a hotel in Kluang. The raid followed a tip-off alleging immoral behaviour. Authorities said the couple were suspected of Khalwat, an Islamic moral offence under Malaysia’s state-level sharia laws. Add WION as a Preferred Source Also read | Davos 2026: Confusion and panic as Trump forces Gaza ‘Peace Board’ event on WEF What is Khalwat? Khalwat, is a moral offence under Islamic laws and prohibits unrelated men and women from being alone together in private spaces where sexual misconduct might be suspected. Similar laws are in place in Muslim-majority Brunei and Indonesia's Aceh province. The law is enforced through routine raids and surveillance, reports South China Morning Post. Trending Stories In Malaysia, Khalwat offences typically carry fines, short jail terms, or both. In more conservative states governed by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, caning is also possible. The country operates under a dual legal system, with Islamic law applied to Muslims alongside civil law. ‘Nervous and trembling’ According to a JAINJ Facebook post, officers had to knock on the hotel room door several times before it was opened six to seven minutes later by a man wearing a T-shirt and trousers. Inside, they found a woman fully clothed, 'still shaking with the spirit of trembling lust' standing next to an unmade bed. "The condition of the beds, sheets, duvets and pillows, looks half alive," reads the Facebook post, written in Malay. Also read | Elon Musk asks internet to test Grok's moderation, X chooses violence — and bikinis The couple initially told officers they were married, but failed to produce a marriage certificate when asked. JAINJ said both appeared nervous and agitated, raising doubts about their claim. Investigators later confirmed that the two, both in their twenties, had been divorced for three to four years. They told officers they had recently reconciled and were planning to remarry. JAINJ shared a video clip of the raid on social media, set to the melancholic Malay love song Rindu Bayangan (Yearning for Shadows), which speaks of longing and missed chances. Watch it here: