COMMENT | Sometimes, I think Malaysia’s national sport isn’t badminton or arguing about where chicken rice originated from (Malaysia or Singapore!). It’s spicy, unnecessary drama, and the recent raid at a men-only spa in Kuala Lumpur proves it.

Try not to get too excited, but I’m a regular at saunas and steam rooms. Three times a week, after my morning run, I head to the club near my house where I’m a member for some sweat recovery and maybe quiet me time.

Want to know the wildest thing I’ve ever seen in a Malaysian sauna? An elderly uncle stepping out, a towel slipping in slow motion off his waist and onto the ground. It was definitely shocking, but definitely not criminal. Totally harmless, in fact.

So when the spa raid hit the news, I wasn’t exactly shocked but actually a little irritated. Raids like this do happen in Malaysia. To be honest, these raids rarely have anything to do with licences or safety rules.

It doesn’t happen every day, but enough that we know moral policing is lurking somewhere. It happens because someone somewhere thinks morality needs enforcement. Usually, it happens in places with dim lights, soft music, or, heaven forbid, men-only spaces.

Imagine being at a spa, stepping into the steam room, closing your eyes, and just as you feel the heat...