8 men arrested in Melaka, M'sia for not fasting & eating in public

Eight men in Melaka, Malaysia have been arrested since Mar. 2 for not fasting and eating in public during the month of Ramadan.

According to Bernama, they were caught between Mar. 2 and 8 during state-wide inspections conducted by the Melaka Islamic Religious Department (JAIM) at various food and beverage (F&B) establishments.

"Not feeling well"

JAIM, which had carried out 11 inspections so far, had arrested the men over the course of the week-long inspections.

The operation involved 127 eateries in Melaka suburban towns Peringgit and Bukit Rambai.

Those arrested had claimed that they were "not feeling well" and "cannot fast", said Rahmad Mariman, chairman of Malaysia's State Education, Higher Education and Religious Affairs Committee.

He added that JAIM will continue enforcement against those "who do not respect the month of Ramadan".

Penalties

Rahmad said that the offence cannot be compounded and those caught will be taken to court for prosecution.

If found guilty, the men may be fined up to RM1,000 (S$300) or jailed for up to six months.

In March 2024, JAIM had identified more than 10 locations in as "hotspots" for those who had skipped fasting and eaten publicly, reported The Star.

The group of people had been labelled the "black plastic bag gang", or those who refuse to fast during Ramadan.

Top photos via Canva