KUALA LUMPUR: In what may go down as one of Kuala Lumpur’s most awkward Friday nights, 201 men had their “wellness session” abruptly cut short when officers crashed into a two-storey men-only spa along Jalan Raja Laut.
At about 8:00 p.m., with the sauna running at full tropical steam and towels already a rare sight, police, DBKL enforcement teams, and JAWI officers stormed into the crowded facility. What they found was less “health and fitness” and more “community bonding,” judging by the stunned faces of the patrons.
Among those caught off-guard were a surgeon who suddenly wished he could perform a disappearing act, a deputy public prosecutor who remembered a very urgent Monday hearing, a teacher who definitely won’t be updating his LinkedIn anytime soon, and even several enforcement officers who usually do the raiding, not the other way around.
The 201 men, aged between 19 and 60, were rounded up as officers shut down the establishment, which had been operating for eight months under the innocent label of a “health and wellness centre.” The spa offered gym access, a swimming pool, saunas, and private rest cubicles that came with items and policies not typically associated with exercise — including a strict no-clothes rule after dusk.
Entry fees were suspiciously affordable: a RM10 (S$3.14) “lifetime membership” and RM35 per visit. As one officer put it, “If your gym membership costs less than fast food, it’s probably not really a gym.”
Police had been monitoring the premises for two weeks after neighbours complained about unusual noises coming from the so-called fitness facility. “I thought someone was in trouble,” one resident joked online. “Turns out they were just… very enthusiastic.”
The detainees included individuals from South Korea, Indonesia, Germany, and China — proving that Kuala Lumpur’s nightlife has become unexpectedly international.
Authorities say the case is being investigated under Section 387B of the Penal Code, while JAWI detained 80 Muslim patrons for alleged syariah offences.
In an uncanny repeat, a similar raid took place just a day later in Penang, where 13 more men — including a pensioner and a university student — were taken in for questioning.
LGBTQ rights group Justice for Sisters criticised the KL raid, noting that inviting media to film half-dressed detainees was unnecessary and could undermine important public health outreach efforts.
Moral of the story? If a “wellness centre” only opens after 5:00 p.m., has a suspiciously low membership fee, and requires fewer clothes than a beach, it’s probably offering a very different kind of relaxation.
Police are now searching for the operator behind the KL establishment, believed to be lying low — possibly in places officers would rather not search.
