Actor Aliff Aziz and singer Ruhainies change plea to guilty over ‘close proximity’ charges

Malaysian singer Ruhainies. Photo from Ruhainies' Instagram

According to The Straits Times, the pair changed their plea and admitted guilt to the khalwat charge in a Malaysian court. The offense involves a man and woman who are neither married to each other nor blood relatives, being found together in a secluded setting.

Malaysia’s Syariah Prosecution Department issued a statement confirming that both Aziz and Ruhainies changed their plea to guilty, claimed their Syariah lawyer.

"After the charge was read again, both changed their plea to guilty," the statement said. "Based on their plea, the Syariah High Court judge found them guilty and imposed a fine of RM3,000 (US$677) or three months in jail if the fine is not paid."

The case stems from an incident on March 9, 2024, when Aziz, who was married to Malaysian singer Bella Astillah at the time, and Ruhainies were detained by authorities for khalwat.

A few days after their detainment, Ruhainies, 32, took to Instagram to assert that authorities had found no evidence of khalwat between her and Aziz, 34. She explained that she had invited Aziz to her Kuala Lumpur condominium for a dinner with her siblings, and insisted that nothing inappropriate had occurred. However, they ended up alone when her elder sister, who had been caught in a traffic jam, arrived late.

Malaysian singer-actress Bella Astillah and her husband, Singaporean actor Aliff Aziz. Photo from Astillah's Instagram

Aziz also wrote on Instagram, claiming that the incident had been blown out of proportion. He apologized, stating it would have been more sensible for him to have waited in the lobby rather than inside Ruhainies’ apartment.

During the hearing on July 3, 2024, both Aziz and Ruhainies pleaded not guilty.

Still, Astillah, 31, filed for divorce from Aziz following the inciden.