KUALA LUMPUR: A hotel in Jalan Pasar Baharu, Pudu, which was notorious for prostitution activities involving foreign nationals, is coming 'back to life'.
Checks by Harian Metro reporters at the premises revealed the presence of numerous women, suspected to be in the flesh trade. They were roaming the first floor of the hotel believed to be in search of potential clients.
The 'security' personnel or bouncers were tightly controlling access to the area, regulating the entry and exit of customers.
When approached by a Vietnamese woman offering sexual services, the journalist, posing as a potential client, was told that the going rate for services were between RM50 and RM100.
"Sir, we offer discounts here. Are you Bangla (Bangladeshi)? RM100 for one hour. If you want, we can go upstairs.
"We can lower the price, and if you want just a massage, it's only RM50. I'll massage you. Come on, sir."
Refusing the offer, the journalist was reprimanded by a man believed to be overseeing the operations, who redirected the journalist's interest elsewhere.
"If you want to stroll, go to Pavilion over there, this place is for us to make money," he said.
Undeterred, the journalist and accompanying photographer covertly ascended the building's stairs, which led to a place that was permeated with foul odours and stained with what may look like saliva, presumably left by previous patrons.
Further exploration led to encounters with women residing on the sixth floor, who mistook the journalist for a prospective customer and divulged details of their living quarters, which allegedly doubled up as spaces used for illicit activities.
These living quarters, outfitted with basic amenities, including a bathroom, kitchen, and three bedrooms, were purportedly utilised for facilitating prostitution services.
Customers inclined to engage in such services were escorted to the fifth and sixth floors, designated as areas for conducting these illicit transactions.
In a recent crackdown on Feb 8, authorities raided the abandoned hotel, resulting in 229 men and 34 women, comprising both residents and foreigners being detained. The 229 men and 34 women comprised people from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, China, and Thailand.