Health DG fined RM3,000 for 'khalwat'

Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman was fined RM3,000 or three months jail in default by the Syariah High Court here after pleading guilty to committing "khalwat" (close proximity) early today.

Dr Hasan, 56, admitted to committing khalwat with Wan Syarifah Nooraazmanita Wan Hassan, 36, also an officer with the Health Ministry, at the Pullman Putrajaya hotel here at 2.18am.

Wan Syarifah Nooraazmanita also admitted guilt and was fined RM2,900 or 30 days jail in default.

Syarie judge Mohd Amran Mat Zain in handing down the punishment, said he took into consideration that it was their first offence and they had shown remorse, besides the fact that they planned to tie the knot.

The duo could were liable to be fined up to RM3,000 or jailed not more than two years for the offence.

According to the facts, it took Dr Hasan five minutes to open the door of their hotel room after an enforcement team from the Federal Territory Islamic Department went to check on them following complaints from the public.

On entry, the team found both of them fully dressed and investigations showed Dr Hasan was a widower while Wan Syarifah Nooraazmanita was in the process of getting a divorce.