KUALA LUMPUR: The police are reviewing the standard operating procedures for raids and subsequent investigations related to spas and wellness centres, especially those involved in immoral activities.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Fadil Marsus said such action is needed following the discovery of procedural weaknesses during investigations and enforcement actions.
“The review is crucial to ensure that enforcement actions have a positive impact while maintaining the effectiveness of investigations.
“Operations leading to arrests must follow a structured process. However, some technical aspects need improvement to ensure that collected evidence is not compromised,” he told reporters after the “Masih Ada Yang Sayang” donation programme at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters yesterday.
He was commenting on the recent release of 171 men who were detained at a men-only wellness centre in Chow Kit here after applications for their remand were rejected by the Magistrate’s Court for late submissions.
Comm Fadil explained that the remand applications were delayed due to the large number of detainees, as each case had to be classified individually.
Friday’s raid was the result of a two-week surveillance conducted by Kuala Lumpur police with assistance from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi).
Meanwhile, Comm Fadil said the police want every operation to have a positive impact on society.
A time to give: Comm Fadil sharing a light moment with recipients of the ‘Masih Ada Yang Sayang’ donation programme at the police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
“We don’t want raids and arrests to be carried out, only for evidence to be inadequate, resulting in investigations being stalled,” he said.
He said every offence has legal elements that must be proven, adding that simply accusing individuals without sufficient evidence is not enough.
He added that police are strengthening cooperation with local authorities and Jawi to prevent such premises from resuming operations.
“This is one of the most important aspects. We are working closely with them by sharing intelligence,” he said.
According to Comm Fadil, the police are now focusing on the operators of the wellness centre.
“They are the ones who we will take all-out action against,” he said.
Separately, Comm Fadil said actress Rafidah Ibrahim and three others who were detained for allegedly attempting to spark unrest during the groundbreaking ceremony in Kampung Sungai Baru on Sunday have been released on police bail.
He said they were initially held under Section 105 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which allows for preventive action to avert potential threats to public order.
Comm Fadil said the police acted based on intelligence and early information indicating possible disturbances during the event.
