KULIM: A single mother and her 43-year old partner were caught in close proximity by a team of officers from the Kulim District Religious Affairs Office at 10:55pm yesterday.
She had earlier brought her two young children, aged four and six, to stay at a hotel in Pekan Lunas here with her partner.
The couple were caught by a team of officers at the hotel.
Kulim district religious enforcement officer Anwar Sharifuddin Mat Saad said they conducted an operation called Op Kasih Sayang in conjunction with Valentine's Day in the area last night until early this morning.
He said during the raid at a hotel in Pekan Lunas, they found a couple behaving suspiciously with two children inside a room.
"After interrogation, the woman admitted that the two children involved were her biological children, while the man was her friend.
"The couple was caught after failing to produce any valid documents proving that they are a married couple when interrogated.
"As a result, they were detained on suspicion of being in close proximity and taken to the Kulim Police Station," he said when contacted today.
Anwar Sharifuddin said the couple resided in Penang and came to the area to celebrate Valentine's Day.
They were later released on bail after their statements were recorded and the case is being investigated under Section 25(a)(b) of the Kedah Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 2014 and if convicted, each could be fined not more than RM3,000 or imprisoned for up to two years or both.
Meanwhile, in a separate raid at a motel on Jalan Lembah Impiana here, a couple claimed they had to rent a motel to rest due to heavy rain after riding a motorcycle in bad weather.
He said the couple was also taken to the Kulim Police Station for an arrest report to be made and were later released on bail after their statements were recorded and the case is being investigated under the same enactment.