TAWAU: A 31-year-old Chinese woman was jailed five months and fined RM4,000, in default two months’ jail, by the Magistrate’s Court here on Friday for offering sexual services to a man for RM700 at a reflexology centre.
Zhang Hong was sentenced by Magistrate Dayang Aidaku Amira Aminuddin after pleading guilty to the charge, which was read to her in Mandarin by a court interpreter.
The court ordered her to serve the jail term from the date of her arrest on Nov 4, 2026, and to be referred to the Immigration Department upon completing her sentence.
Zhang, a mother of one, was accused of soliciting for the purpose of prostitution by offering sexual services to the man at the reflexology centre at about 10.05pm on Nov 4.
The offence under Section 372B of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to one year, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
The court heard that Zhang was arrested during Ops Noda, conducted by a team from the Tawau District Police Headquarters Criminal Investigation Division following an inspection and raid at the premises.
During the operation, an undercover police agent posing as a customer was taken to a room on the ground floor of the reflexology centre.
The agent informed police officers via WhatsApp that Zhang had offered him sexual services, saying, “One shot RM700 only”.
The agent then handed over the agreed amount before a police team raided the premises. A search of the room, witnessed by Zhang, found a used condom on the floor, while RM700 in cash and a condom wrapper were found on the bed.
During initial questioning, Zhang admitted offering sexual services to the undercover agent. The raiding team subsequently arrested her and seized the items.
In mitigation, Zhang, who was unrepresented, pleaded for a lighter fine, saying she needed to support her nine-year-old daughter and was divorced.
She said her daughter was attending school in Zhi Jiang, China, and was currently under her grandmother’s care.
ASP Jeffery Kadison prosecuted.
