Warned For Wearing Shorts In Kelantan, Two Boys Still In Shock Over Law
The group of seven youths were given warning notices by the state religious authority for wearing shorts because it’s considered not covering up their aurat.
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On Friday (17 March), a group of seven men were shocked when they were given warnings for wearing thigh-length shorts at an eatery in Kelantan.
The Star reported that the group was smoking shisha at a restaurant near Gertak Chaber, when the restaurant was raided by the Kelantan Religious Affairs Department (JHEAIK) officers.
The restaurant operator was issued a warning along with 11 compound notices totalling RM1,900 under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004 and five compound notices worth a total of RM1,500 for food safety violations.
Two of the seven youths told New Straits Times that they were still in shock over their encounter with the religious authorities.
They did not realize wearing shorts was an offence in Kelantan since they’ve been wearing shorts without issues all this time.
They explained that they met up with their friend from Temalir at the shisha centre after restocking fruits at their workplace.
It was their first time there and after about 20 minutes, they saw several men wearing enforcement jackets entering the premises.
One of the officers then approached them and asked whether they were aware that they didn’t cover their aurat and that it was an offence.
The boys tried to reason with the officer to no avail and they were slapped with a warning notice.
It seemed five other people at the premises were also issued similar notices.
The boys were told to attend counselling sessions at the Tanah Merah religious office two days later and claimed they spent more than an hour there.
The boys said they’re taking the experience as a lesson and promised their parents not to go to the centre again.
However, they said the state authority owes the public an explanation about the ruling.
According to JHEAIK chief assistant director Mohd Fadzuli Mohd Zain, the boys went against Sections 21 and 23 of Syariah law and could be fined RM2,000 or sentenced to a year’s jail.
Section 23 of Kelantan’s Syariah Criminal Code (I) Enactment 2019 entailed exposing the aurat and offenders can face an RM1,000 fine and six months in jail.
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