‘Nenek’ Offering Sexual Services in Bukit Bintang Arrested by PDRM

Source: The Rakyat Post

In a recent operation dubbed Ops Noda, the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) raided the Bukit Bintang area on November 9, successfully apprehending four foreign individuals involved in offering sexual services.

The operation, which took place at around 11:30 pm, was led by the Dang Wangi Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman. It was discovered that all four individuals had entered Malaysia as tourists, but were suspected of engaging in prostitution activities around the Bukit Bintang district.

Among those arrested was an elderly woman known as ‘Nenek’, or ‘Grandma’. The suspects, who were between the ages of 35 and 50, hailed from Iran, Uzbekistan, and Thailand. Police also seized items such as condoms, cash (RM3,720 and USD$150), four mobile phones, a packet of wet wipes, gel lubricant, and keys from the scene.

Charges and Prostitution Fees

Sulizmie Affendy explained that the prostitution services began at a rate of around RM100. The suspects reportedly conducted the business on a freelance basis, with no involvement from any third-party pimps. Clients were brought to budget hotels in the Bukit Bintang area, where the sexual services were carried out.

Additionally, the suspects were found without identification documents, raising suspicions about their status in the country. Investigations revealed that the suspects had been offering their services between 5 pm and 3 am, with multiple clients per night, mostly targeting foreign individuals.

The case is being investigated under Section 372B of the Penal Code and Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The Dark Side of Sex Work

While sex work has been referred to as “the oldest profession”, it is also often considered a form of oppression. Many in the sex work community, particularly migrant and undocumented workers, face significant vulnerability to sexual violence. Elisha Kor Krishnan, the president of the Malaysian Welfare and Health Organization (PKKUM), previously pointed out that sex workers are often reluctant to report incidents of violence for fear of legal consequences.

A 2018 Health Ministry report estimated there are approximately 45,000 sex workers in Malaysia, including 21,000 female sex workers and 24,000 transgender workers.