IN CASE anyone had missed the news, there was a sensationalised raid on a health and wellness spa in Jalan Raja Lau, Kuala Lumpur last Friday (Nov 28).
Grappling for column inches alongside the Sabah polls taking place the same weekend was headlines that screamed that 201 men were detained for suspected LGBTQ+ activities.
Adding to the sense of injustice is human rights activist and lawyer Siti Kasim who lambasted the authorities for acting on unlawful grounds.
It was succinctly pointed out that enforcement agencies need solid evidence before conducting a raid. It cannot be based on hearsay or suspicions lest these agencies were liable to lawsuits for “breach of many things”.
Sorry to say la …. as an enforcement agency, you must have solid evidence before you want to raid anywhere or anyone. You simply do not take actions based on hearsay or suspicions. These enforcement agencies are opening themselves to law suits for breach of many things.…
— Siti Kasim (@sitikasim) November 30, 2025
Drama only….
First of all, what is the offence here? Unless they were caught in sex acts, nothing else will hold in court.If the gathering of a group of men in a somewhat confined space is illegal, then, every gym / golf club change room should also be illegal.
— Goldfish (@GoldfishUnc) November 29, 2025
Such lurid headlines and seemingly biased reporting that sought to stigmatise the clientele was also strongly condemned by NGO Justice For Sisters (JFS), an LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, inters*x & queer) and gender-diverse human rights group in Malaysia
In a statement shared on X, justiceforsisters (@justice_sisters) claimed the raid by the police, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) was “inherently discriminatory due to perceptions of the clientele being gay, bisexual or queer men”.
Justice for Sisters strongly condemns the raid at a health centre in Kuala Lumpur by the police, JAWI and DBKL on 28 November 2025.
The raid is inherently discriminatory as it targeted a health center due to its clientele, who are or perceived to be gay, bisexual, queer men. pic.twitter.com/BfvlTLfJVL
— justiceforsisters (@justice_sisters) November 29, 2025
‘All 171 local detainees released’
The NGO also highlighted the intrusive reporting had been “extremely sensational and stigmatising”. It was argued the media participation had resulted in a violation of the privacy of the individuals detained.
Editor’s Note: JFS is a distinct human rights organisation co-founded by transgender rights activist Nisha Ayub in 2010.
Its primary objective is to protect transgender individuals in Malaysia from criminalisation, violence and persecution. JFS provides legal aid and seeks to reform laws that discriminate against the LGBTIQ community.
In another twist to the case, the magistrate’s court had then rejected the police application for remand orders for the detainees.
“The magistrate dismissed the remand application for the 171 locals on the grounds that it was submitted late,” confirmed Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus.
“The delay occurred because of the large number of detainees; each arrest had to be processed individually and classified. Due to the late submission, the magistrate rejected the request.
He further told mainstream New Straits Times: “Although action was taken, the organisers remain at large.
“We cannot charge any of the detainees because for offences involving exploitation, prostitution or unnatural s*x, there must be a victim. None of the detainees claimed to be victims – and without that – the case cannot move forward.”
Not content with the raid that seems to have failed, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mohktar further muddied the waters by confirming that a notice to provide a statement (SPH) has been issued to a group of Muslim individuals detained in the incident.
Insert Bernama
It was reported in Bernama that the SPH was issued to facilitate further investigations in accordance with the relevant laws.
As highlighted from the above, the media reporting has been sensationalised and reeks of biasness. The authorities seem to have overstepped their boundaries acting on hearsay and suspicions.
All it takes is for one brave individual to step up and file a suit. As the courts have pointed out, this is a “victimless crime”.
As legal eagle Siti Kasim counselled, the authorities cannot simply act based on their whims and fancies, conjecture or suspicious rumours.
The fact that the application for a remand order was swiftly dismissed may just be indicative that a suit for wrongful detention or harm to reputation may just as quickly be resolved.
Are there any brave individuals willing to step up to the plate? – Dec 1, 2025
