Malaysian authorities apprehend 26 foreign women engaging in prostitution

On September 14 and 15, Malaysian authorities discovered a prostitution ring using the messaging app WeChat. As of now, a total of 26 women from eight foreign countries have been apprehended.

The Malaysian chief of police stated that the women were discovered in the cities of Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya in the province of Selangor. Along with the women, two Bangladeshi men and four Malaysian men who were with them were also arrested. The women were from Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. However, Malaysian authorities revealed that they had been advertised as Japanese and Korean women.

On September 14, nine women from Mongolia, two from China, one from Kazakhstan, one from Vietnam, and one woman from Kyrgyzstan were discovered in a hotel in Petaling Jaya.

On September 15, an additional 12 women, four of whom were Mongolian, were arrested in the city of Subang Jaya. Whether or not the women were willing sex workers or being forced into prostitution has not been disclosed.

The laws regarding prostitution are vague and can be interpreted in different ways. Although acts related to prostitution such as human trafficking, and the operation of brothels are criminalized, there is no written law that explicitly states that prostitution is illegal.