Vigilantes patrol Sg Petani to check for ‘sin’

Zaim Ibrahim Zaim Ibrahim Updated 5 years ago · Published on 14 Nov 2018 7:00AM · 17 Comments

IN Sg Petani, a small town in the northern state of Kedah, a vigilante group is out to catch couples in the act of khalwat (close proximity), declaring it is helping the state religious authorities stop Muslims from sinning.

The group, which calls itself “Skuad Badar”, conducts surveillance at hotels and raids, for which it will get prior approval from local mosque officials. It will also file a police report stating its intentions beforehand.

The state’s religious authorities and police have declared the group illegal, saying it is not empowered to carry out raids nor act as moral police.

Skuad Badar comprises 20 to 40 men who stake out budget hotels and parks almost every weekend in search of unmarried couples having illicit sex.

Founder and leader Azhaar Mohamad, a retired serviceman, told The Malaysian Insight the group had “caught hundreds of couples” in the past two years.

Those nabbed are taken to a Muslim cemetery where they are “counselled”.

“We take them to the cemetery as we want them to realise that all Muslims come to this end – the grave. There, we will advise them about the afterlife so that they can repent and know the error of their ways,” said Azhaar.

Last Sunday, The Malaysian Insight followed the group on a raid. From 11pm until 3am, the vigilantes searched six motels.

Five couples were detained in the course of the night. They were brought to the Padang Temusu cemetery, some 5km from Sg Petani. Afterwards, the couples were taken to the mosque to be counselled.

For those who refuse to cooperate and open the door, Kedah religious officers will be called in to help. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, November 14, 2018.

“Some of them cry at the cemetery. I don’t think this affects the image of Islam, as I have been advised by the mosque’s ustaz and imam,” said Azhaar.

Azhaar, who is known to the locals as “Ayah Ad”, said the target was solely Muslims engaged in khalwat and other “illicit activities”.

His group takes its name from the Battle of Badar, the first large-scale engagement between Prophet Muhammad and his opponents in Mecca during the early days of Islam. It is considered a turning point in the prophet’s struggle which then consolidated position as the new leader.

According to Azhaar, raids are conducted during the weekends based on tip-offs from the public and “intelligence” reports from squad members.

The squad monitors budget hotels, which are the primary meeting grounds for couples. He denied there was spying involved.

“When we see a lot of motorcycles outside a hotel, we will go to the front desk and show them our ‘approval letter’,” he said, referring to the police report the squad lodges before conducting a raid.

“If the hotel doesn’t allow us to go in, we won’t go in. But we will wait outside.”

He could not recall how many couples have been caught since the squad commended operations two years ago, but said it was in the “hundreds”.

Unmarried couples caught fornicating are taken to the cemetery to be reminded of the end that awaits all man, so that they will 'repent'. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, November 14, 2018.

“I have even been offered RM5,000 by a budget hotel operator but because we have integrity, we do not accept it. Wrong is wrong,” said the 45-year-old.

When couples refused to cooperate and open the door, the Department of Islamic Affairs Kedah (JAIK) would be called in for assistance.

Those who are caught would be made call their parents to collect them from the Padang Tembusu mosque at subuh (6am).

He said while they did not want to take over JAIK’s functions, the raids put pressure on the authorities to be more vigilant. 

“It’s not that we don’t trust the authorities, but we feel that we can lighten their load as their enforcement unit has only five to six officers while we have almost 40 people.

He said the squad’s efforts lowered the number of khalwat cases in Sg Petani because there were no repeat offenders.

“In fact, three couples got married after they were caught.

“As a result, the playgrounds are no longer a place for khalwat. We believe we have reduced the number of such cases by 30%.” – November 14, 2018.

Skuad Badar pounces on unsuspecting couples in budget hotels. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, November 14, 2018.

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Comments

  • Illegal group posed as moral police? And shout to have integrity? Do they really have moral in the first place?

    Posted 5 years ago by Will Be Humble · Reply

  • Useless bunch of dogs. Kerja tak mampu tapi cari kerja senang, bisa. As stupid as carrot.

    Posted 5 years ago by Jackal Way · Reply

  • Some of them probably have many wives amd watching porno all the time .

    Posted 5 years ago by Jacob Hong · Reply

  • What is the police doing? These hypocrites took the law into their own dirty hands. They ought to be arrested!

    Posted 5 years ago by Awang Bilis · Reply

  • Mujahid I think this group makes JAIK looks stupid and the police look like a bunch of pondans.

    Posted 5 years ago by John Fam · Reply

  • People commit sins, you commit crimes.

    People are answerable to God, you are answerable to the rule of Law..

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • These are just a bunch of perverts using religion as a cover to peep. Arrest them.

    Posted 5 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

  • That is why Malaysia keeps falling behind other Asian countries. It is because we have these hypocrites creating chaos and affecting our international image. Go get a job and feed your families.

    Posted 5 years ago by Awang Bilis · Reply

  • KKK of Malaysia... :)

    Posted 5 years ago by Chean Ang Heng · Reply

  • Well orang badar, could someone else form a moral group and see what you all download into computer? Or can they stand outside your house and demand to see your private dvd collection?

    Posted 5 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • Sigh, 6 months into a new govt, and you would be forguven to think that you will no longer experience this nonsense. But much of Malaysia Baru, still remains lama...

    Posted 5 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • These creeps should be nabbed and placed in the same cell with a group of violent gays and see what develops.

    Posted 5 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply

  • If there are any complains I guess its coming from the budget hotels operators as indirectly its effecting their business. At least the got police approval, apply no physical approach, lessen the burden of JAIK and cutting down child dumping at the end of the day. We should have more of these squad as long as they operate within the law.

    Posted 5 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply

  • This is where ISIS will start in Malaysia. The neigbouring state of Perlis is already a safe haven for all the undesirable Salafis , Sufis Wahabis anfd whatever more. Kedah is trying to out do Perlis If the Police is not going to nip it at the bud on this private religious vigilante don't blame the rakyat when there will many more private vigilante to protect their own group against this "holier then thou extremist group " to ensure privavy and freedom. When Penang start their own Rela vigilante , I remember there was strong resentment by Umno against its formation. Why now is PDRM so tolerant ??????. Stop thisBadar or bastard group from going too far in the guise of religious duties. ISIS starts on the same footing of religious might.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • "Skuad Samseng Bodohsombong" more like it. Archon-infested hypocrites, cowards & zombie wannabes with sub-zero comprehension of Life, Universe & Everything!

    Posted 5 years ago by Antares Maitreya · Reply

  • Sue them til their pants drop

    Posted 5 years ago by Baru Malaysian · Reply

  • Suggest them to do a more ambitious work rather than this pity one.
    Goto Syria and fight in the whatever name you want to call it.

    Posted 5 years ago by Anjing kawan Kucing Comel · Reply