MELAKA, Jan 1 — A married Muslim man, aged 60, was detained by Islamic religious enforcers here during a late-night anti-vice operation on New Year’s Eve yesterday.

The businessman claimed to have been knackered from watching the fireworks display as the reason he stayed overnight in a hotel room here with a Thai masseuse he met at a local massage centre, The Star reported today.

The man, who is married, was reportedly caught with a 42-year-old woman from Thailand in a hotel in Bandar Hilir between 12.30am and 4.30am today.

"He explained that he was too tired after watching the fireworks and couldn’t make it home, so he ended up staying with the woman at the hotel,” Datuk Rahmad Mariman, Melaka state education, higher education, and Islamic religious affairs committee chairman, was quoted as saying.

The operation, which spanned 17 hotels in Melaka city centre and Alor Gajah, saw 13 people detained.

Seven of them were men and six were women between the ages of 21 and 60.

A non-Muslim woman was also taken into custody to serve as a witness, according to the news report.

All those arrested are under investigation for cohabitation under Section 53 of the Syariah Offences Enactment (Melaka State) 1992, a charge that could lead to a fine of up to RM3,000, a two-year jail sentence, or both.