A total of 201 men were detained in a joint raid on a so-called health centre along Jalan Raja Laut in Kuala Lumpur, over suspected same-sex activities at the premises.
The surprise operation at around 8pm yesterday involved the Kuala Lumpur police contingent, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI).
Those detained, aged between 19 and 60, were customers of the two-storey premises.
Of the 201, 17 were civil servants, including a surgeon, a deputy public prosecutor, an administrative and diplomatic officer, a teacher and officers from enforcement agencies.
Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Mohd Azani Omar said intelligence gathering and surveillance on the premises had been conducted over the past two weeks based on public tip-offs.
“Information indicated that immoral activities were taking place here, involving men believed to be engaging in same-sex activities,” he said at the scene.
The premises operated under the guise of a health centre equipped with a gym, sauna, spa, swimming pool and “rest areas” for men, and is believed to have been operating for the past eight months.
Each customer was charged a one-off lifetime registration fee of RM10 and RM35 per visit to use the facilities.
Mohd Azani said the centre was believed to have been promoted via social media, with customers getting to know each other on site.
He said police are currently investigating the case under Section 387B of the Penal Code, which covers offences related to “unnatural sex”.
Besides locals, those detained also included men from South Korea, Indonesia, Germany and China.
In the same operation, 80 Muslim men were detained under Section 29 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 559 for allegedly behaving indecently in a public place.
The premises reportedly operated daily from 5pm until late at night, targeting customers seeking a place to “relax” after office hours.
Checks by BH reporters found that the centre had become a topic of discussion among certain male circles, with some allegedly using it as a meeting point after first making contact online.
Many who frequented the centre claimed its services and environment were “special” compared with regular establishments.
