Badar Squad vigilantes threaten to go nationwide

Zaim Ibrahim Zaim Ibrahim Updated 5 years ago · Published on 22 Nov 2018 3:30PM · 13 Comments

Several couples caught committing khalwat receiving counselling from the leader of the Badar Squad, Azhaar Mohamad, at a cemetery in Sungai Petani, Kedah. The state’s religious authorities and police have declared the group illegal. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, November 22, 2018.

THE vigilante group Badar Squad has threatened to take its operations nationwide unless authorities impose stricter controls over budget hotels and massage parlours, which the group says are dens for vice activities.

They want local councils and state authorities to ensure that Muslim couples stop frequenting such premises in search of cheap sex and other vice-related activities.

The controversial group’s leader Azhaar Mohamad, told reporters in Alor Star today, that they would set up branches nationwide and carry out raids even in popular tourist destinations like Jalan Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur.

“We urge the authorities to come up with proper laws and guidelines to regulate such places, to ban Muslims from entering such premises,” said Azhaar.

“If the authorities ignore this, then the Badar Squad will help them curb such activities, not only in Sungai Petani, Kedah but also in Jalan Bukit Bintang which is a hotbed for vice activities.

The Badar Squad, which has around 40 members, has for the last two years, carried out raids on budget hotels and massage parlours in Sungai Petani to haul up Muslim couples believed to be engaged in sin. 

Those caught committing khalwat are taken to a cemetery to receive counselling. Azhaar had previously said that the squad had nabbed “hundreds of couples”.

Azhaar said the group lodges a police report prior to the raids, to inform the authorities of what it was going to do.

The state’s religious authorities and police, however, have declared the group illegal, saying it is not empowered to carry out raids or act as the moral police.

Badar Squad members waiting for a couple caught allegedly committing khalwat to come out from a hotel room in Sungai Petani. They are demanding stricter controls over budget hotels and massage parlours to ensure Muslims do not frequent such places. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, November 22, 2018.

Police say lodging a police report before a raid does not constitute approval from the authorities.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa had said that any religious enforcement exercise must stay within the limits of the law, adding that those who take the law into their own hands in the name of Islam have tarnished their good deeds and intentions.

Legal rights group, Lawyers for Liberty, said the Badar Squad has no jurisdiction to act as the moral police and accused them of undermining the rule of law.

The group’s executive director Latheefa Koya said that the fact police had yet to stop such “mob rule shows pure neglect and complicity”.

Azhaar said the group’s actions are not excessive, as alleged by some quarters, and that they were only helping Muslims stay away from vice activities.

He added that checks around Sungai Petani revealed that religious authorities rarely carried out raids at budget hotels and massage parlours.

“Hotel operators themselves told us that religious authorities would only come twice a year. The Badar Squad conducts raids four times a week,” Azhaar said.

“We are simply assisting the local councils and state religious department.”

He said the Badar Squad is also willing to meet those who have accused them of being too excessive in their actions.

“Bringing those we caught to the cemetery for counselling is hardly excessive. This is because we have always informed their parents first,” Azhaar said. – November 22, 2018.

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Comments

  • Now everyone can take the law in their own hand as long as its on religious ground.

    Posted 5 years ago by Adrian Tan · Reply

    • European Turkey, a liberal Muslim country?..

      Posted 5 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply

  • Come to Johor..

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Fantastic! Woww!! Now they can impose impose conditions and threats !! No one has addressed them and stopped them. It seems that no one can or will .

    Posted 5 years ago by Mo Salleh · Reply

    • Only sultans can.

      Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • They can but will they ?

      Posted 5 years ago by Mo Salleh · Reply

    • They prefer to check the road signs.

      Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Perhaps we need to revive the ISA and put these people away for awhile before somebody gets really hurt!

    Posted 5 years ago by Yoon Fatt Ng · Reply

  • why they only dare to bully budget n not go after those in 4 or 5 stars hotel??

    Posted 5 years ago by Steaven ho · Reply

  • I have written about this misfit Ba(da)rua outfit could be radicalise into an ISIS threat . PDRM are still dreaming and the anti-terrorist chief is still contemplating on actions. Imagine an unlawful outfit issuing threats to PDRM. It is also a slap to the Royal Household in that they are Almighty choice to manage Islam due to high immoral social activities abeing neglected in control. In no time this group will be creating big troubles in the guise that the kafir are the cause of ills faced by Muslim. They will be the extension of the 3 lines under the command of UmnoPAS to create dissent and mayhem for the next racial conflicts..PDRM have you chicken out by such dare from a ridiculous unlawful outfit.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Tis is Classic Example of Malay Islam Religion

    Posted 5 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply

  • Why are Muslims so bad?

    Ban them from alcohol.
    Ban them them from gambling
    Ban them from child marriage
    Ban them from khalwat
    Ban them from budget hotels
    Ban them from nightclubs
    Ban them from casino
    Ban them from everything

    Are Muslims really that bad?
    How about banning rogue Muslim vigilantes?

    Posted 5 years ago by Roti Paun · Reply

  • They can go and eff off

    Posted 5 years ago by Mokhzani Mohamad · Reply