A divorced man in his 40s and an 18-year-old woman were detained by the Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAINJ) after they were found together in a rented room at a shoplot here early Sunday morning.
JAINJ said the pair were detained at about 2.15am following a public complaint concerning activities at the premises.
During the inspection, enforcement officers found the man, his nine-year-old son and the young woman inside the room.
The department said the child was asleep on the floor on a blanket and pillow, while the woman was on a single bed. The man, who has two children, works in Pasir Gudang, while the 18-year-old is unmarried and unemployed.
When questioned, the pair initially claimed that the woman had visited the room to help clean the house.
However, further checks found that she lived about 15km from the premises and allegedly visited the room regularly, between two and three times a week.
JAINJ said the man was renting the room with his son, while his other child was under the care of his former wife.
The department also revealed that the nine-year-old child referred to the woman as “mama”, adding another detail that drew attention during the enforcement operation.
When asked about their relationship, the pair reportedly admitted that they were planning to get married in the near future.
The man and woman were detained for allegedly committing khalwat, or close proximity, an offence under Section 27 of the Johor Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment.
