7 Men Slapped With Warning For Wearing Shorts At Restaurant In Kelantan
The warning notices were issued to the men for exposing their aurat in a public place.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 22 Mar 2023, 12:03 PM
Seven men were slapped with warning notices for wearing thigh-length shorts at a restaurant in Tanah Merah, Kelantan, last Friday, 17 March
The warning notices were issued by the Kelantan Religious Affairs Department (JHEAIK) during an operation at the restaurant that also serves shisha, reported New Straits Times.
According to the Tanah Merah District Council (MDTM), the warning notices were issued under Section 23 of the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 2019, which criminalises exposing aurat in public places.
The Kelantan Department of Health (JKN) and the National Anti-Drug Agency both joined the raid
"The raid was carried out based on public tip-offs on the activity being held in the area," said JHEAIK chief assistant director Mohd Fadzuli Mohd Zain.
MDTM added that customers at the restaurant were also subjected to urine tests.
The operation ended around midnight, with JKN issuing 11 compound notices to the restaurant, totalling RM1,900 in fines.
The operator was slapped with five notices for breaching food safety regulations, worth RM1,500 in fines.
The remaining fines were for violating the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, reported New Straits Times.
In late 2021, the Kelantan state legislative assembly passed the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment 2019, which human rights defenders in the country have accused of encroaching on personal liberties and victimising minorities in the state, reported Malay Mail.
According to Sisters in Islam (SIS), the law provides harsher penalties, lifting the maximum possible punishment for several acts to RM5,000 in fines, three years of imprisonment, and six lashes of cane.
The enactment also adds other alternative punishments, such as community service and rehabilitation.
