COMMENT | The Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia (Samenta) expresses its concern regarding the local authorities' recent integrated operation on a hotel in Malacca following social media allegations.

While Samenta respects the role of state religious authorities and local councils in upholding local enactments, we are deeply concerned by the immediate seizure of the hotel’s business licence and the order for its closure.

This is particularly when the authorities themselves confirmed that no breaches of the Syariah Criminal Offences (State of Malacca) Enactment 1991 were found during the inspection of the hotel.

The decision to...