Man Accuses Police of Detaining Him for 40 Hours During Gym Raid, Claims Humiliation

Petaling Jaya, Dec 1 — A local man claims he was wrongfully arrested and detained for over 40 hours on his first visit to the gym in question. During the investigation, police acted with deliberate slowness, refused to listen to his explanations, and forced him to repeat humiliating actions, causing him severe physical and psychological trauma.

Speaking exclusively to Sin Chew Daily on condition of anonymity, the victim stated he began working out in 2020 and regularly visited different gyms to try their equipment. After seeing promotional content on Xiaohongshu highlighting the facility's comprehensive amenities—including saunas, jacuzzis, and hot springs—for just RM35, he decided to visit.

He arrived at the gym around 6 p.m. last Friday. Located on the second floor of a commercial building, the facility had two levels: the second floor housed fitness equipment and lockers, while the third floor featured saunas and steam rooms. The environment appeared bright and normal at the time, showing no signs of anything unusual. After paying, he began working out and finished his sauna session around 8 p.m. He was sitting in the lounge area chatting with others when police suddenly stormed in.

He described how a large contingent of police and law enforcement personnel stormed the premises, ordering everyone to crouch down and remain still. Shortly after, female reporters entered to film, capturing images of numerous individuals who had just used the sauna and were still wrapped in towels.

“These unedited footage later circulated online, leading the public to ‘pre-judge’ us and label everyone as participants in illegal sexual activities, severely infringing upon our rights,” he stated.

He stated that after being taken to the Kuala Lumpur Police Headquarters, they were not questioned all night, nor did any officer explain what charges they faced. The group was confined to a designated area, forced to wait repeatedly without sleep or phone use, and constantly ordered to sit, stand, and line up. The so-called “golden 24 hours” for investigation was completely wasted by the police.

The victim noted that after 12 noon last Saturday, the group was transferred to the Kinrara Police District Headquarters, where police finally began arranging for photographs to be taken. However, he stated that police later failed to mention this procedure to the human rights lawyer, leading the lawyer to question whether police were engaging in “pre-trial judgment.”

He revealed that after waiting another six hours, magistrates finally arrived to process the detention extension request. Since police failed to present sufficient evidence, the extension was rejected. He believed he could leave immediately, but the statement-taking process was repeatedly delayed, concluding only at 3 a.m. the following day.

He described the statement-taking process as the most unbearable part. He had expected police to listen to their explanations, but instead officers asked numerous questions involving sexual details—including whether sexual acts occurred, the nature of the acts, use of sex toys, location of ejaculation, and even demanded he “imitate moaning sounds.”

He emphasized that these questions were irrelevant to the investigation and solely intended to humiliate him. He didn't even know what he was accused of yet was forced to answer such questions.

He described the bail process as equally chaotic. Police first instructed everyone to contact their guarantors, then changed their stance, demanding all guarantors be present before proceeding. After guarantors arrived, police again altered instructions, causing repeated delays.

“It wasn't until noon, when my lawyer began pressuring the police, that they finally stated release was possible without guarantors. I was ultimately released around 2:30 PM. Throughout this ordeal, the police provided only a small piece of bread, simple food, and bottled water, leaving us hungry, anxious, and fearful—subjecting us to severe physical and mental torment.”

He stated that despite resting at home for half a day, he still felt unwell, particularly due to prolonged pressure on his sciatic nerve causing back pain. Combined with two days without sleep, he continues to suffer from severe headaches.

“I chose to share my experience publicly not only to urge the police to improve their investigative procedures, but also to prevent society from jumping to conclusions that everyone who goes to that gym engages in sexual activities. Many people, like me, simply go there to work out.”