http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Sunday/National/20061022092056/Article/index_html Anti-khalwat men terrify elderly foreign couple 22 Oct 2006 KUALA LUMPUR: Imagine being an elderly foreign couple, awakened by a pounding on the front door in the wee hours. Imagine being accused of khalwat despite being in your 60s and married for 42 years. Imagine being a grandmother of four and having to stand in front of men, dressed only in a sarong covering your body. This is exactly what United States citizens Randall Barnhart, 62, and his wife Carole, 61, experienced on Oct 14 at their condominium unit in Langkawi. It is an incident which has Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor in a huff. Barnhart and his wife were asleep at 2am when there was pounding on the door and male voices shouting in Bahasa Malaysia. Fearing an attack or robbery, Barnhart told the men to go away or he would call the police. One of the voices, speaking in English, identified the group of men as Islamic Affairs Department officers and ordered him to open the door immediately. "I positioned myself ready to fight and partly blocking the door so I could defend myself and my wife if anything were to happen. "Then I opened the door to find six men in my face," said Barnhart. Barnhart said the men wore blue jackets with the department’s crest on the breast pockets, with one of them producing an authority card. He claimed there were no police officers with the six men. Barnhart said one of the men yelled at him, asking how many people were in the apartment and said: "You are Muslim, we are coming in." "I told them we were Christians and they were not to come in. They then demanded to inspect the apartment. "They were threatening and aggressive. Again I said no," he said. He said the men then demanded to see his "woman". After another heated exchange of words, he allowed the men to see his wife. The men, he said, then demanded to see their marriage licence. "I told them I did not have it on me and that it was none of their business. Next, they demanded to see our passports, so I showed them. "They took down our passport numbers and noted that we were from the US. Then one said ‘thank you’ and shook my hand," he said. The men then left. Eight hours later, he lodged a report at the Kuah police station. Since the incident, Carole has been terrified and has insisted on going back to the United States. The couple is in Malaysia on a six-week sailing holiday and rented the condominium unit. Since his yacht needs repairs, he bought an air ticket to Chicago for his wife. He also lodged a complaint with the US embassy here, which followed up with a call to Tengku Adnan’s office on Friday. A ministry spokesman said Tengku Adnan took a serious view of the allegations. "He has ordered the Tourism Board to look into the incident. They are to speak to the Islamic Affairs Department to get to the bottom of things. "The minister does not like things like this happening to tourists as it spoils the country’s image," he said. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/10/28/nation/15839442&sec=nation Couple in khalwat raid may drop second home plan By SIRA HABIBU LANGKAWI: Retired American policeman Randal Barnhart, who was subjected to a 2am raid by religious enforcement officers, is reconsidering his plan to make Malaysia his second home. “After that unpleasant episode two weeks ago, I do not feel like making Malaysia my second home. It is a pity because both my wife and I really love Langkawi,” he said. On Oct 12, Barnhart, 62, and his wife Carole, 61, were in their rented condominium in Kuah when enforcement officers continuously knocked on their door at 2am, accusing them of committing khalwat (close proximity). He said the officers demanded to see his marriage certificate, although he had told them that they were Christians and should not be subjected to Islamic law. HAPPIER TIMES: Barnhart and his wife Carole posing for a picture during an outing. They felt humiliated by the raid by religious enforcement officers in Langkawi recently. “We find it difficult to forget the unpleasant episode. My wife was so terrified by the incident that she fears sleeping in that condominium,” he added. Banhart said the officers were rude and insisted on “seeing the woman” when he opened the door. “My wife had to show herself despite only having a sarong on at that time. We felt humiliated for being treated this way,” he said. He said he had to send his wife back to the United States on the next available flight because she feared people might return to the condominium to terrify her in the middle of the night. She flew home on Wednesday. “I want the religious department to apologise to me and my wife in writing,” he added. “I also want the department to compensate the RM4,315 I had to pay for the return ticket so that my wife could go home.” Banhart said he would be sailing to Thailand once his yacht was repaired. State Religious and Humanity Development Committee chairman Professor Datuk Wira Dr Othman Ishak said he would investigate the matter. “I was not aware of this case. I will ask the Religious Department head. We will get feedback from the vice-prevention squad in Langkawi before making comments,” he said. Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said he would check with the state Religious Department to find out what really happened. “I was not informed about this case. I will find out what really happened before making any comment,” he said. I hope the authority finds out what happened, whether it's wrong lead or anything. But these are no policemen and Langkawi is a tourist attraction for foreigners and locals alike, which they shouldn't be there anyway.
