A hotel previously embroiled in controversy over a ‘gay-friendly’ advertisement has been allowed to resume operations after complying with all conditions imposed by the Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council (MPHTJ).
MPHTJ president Datuk Sapiah Haron said the hotel’s management attended a meeting with the council to provide clarification following a summons. She noted that the contentious advertisement had already been taken down before any official directive was issued.
The hotel’s business licence had earlier been temporarily suspended, with several additional requirements imposed prior to its reinstatement. According to Sapiah, the licence was reapproved once the management fulfilled the stipulated conditions. However, she stressed that ongoing monitoring would be carried out to ensure continued compliance with local regulations, underscoring the council’s commitment to maintaining community standards.
She spoke to reporters during the MPHTJ Ramadan Berkat programme held in collaboration with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in front of Melaka Mall on Tuesday. Also present were Deputy Senior State Executive Councillor for Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management Datuk Zulkiflee Mohd Zin, and Melaka MACC director Datuk Adi Supian Shafie.
During the event, 2,000 packs of bubur kacang and pulut hitam, along with Mamee snack packs, were distributed to road users as part of the outreach initiative.
Addressing the controversy, Sapiah said the hotel owner attributed the advertisement issue to negligence arising from the use of an overseas service provider to manage its website. She emphasised that regardless of the explanation given, the council had instructed that the advertisement be removed and conducted its own verification to confirm compliance.
To date, the hotel is operating as usual, and the controversial promotional material has been deleted. Continuous checks will remain in place to prevent a recurrence of similar issues.
In January, the Melaka state government directed the Melaka Islamic Religious Department (JAIM) to investigate allegations that the hotel had promoted a ‘gay-friendly’ concept after the matter gained traction on social media. The issue was highlighted in a post by independent preacher Firdaus Wong, who questioned the growing trend of businesses adopting ‘friendly’ labels in their branding.
Subsequently, MPHTJ, together with JAIM, inspected the premises and ordered a temporary closure pending clarification from the hotel’s owner.
