Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter , or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates. In the early 1950s, Kelantan was known for widespread prostitution. Some prostitutes were trained from as young as 12 years old.
This dark period in Kelantan’s history occurred before Malaysia gained independence on August 31, 1957. Terima kasih arwah Tok Guru Nik Aziz. Insyallah kami rakyat akan Kelantan akan terus pertahankan Kelantan supaya “zaman kegelapan” di Kelantan tidak akan berulang kembali😇 #aifaazlan #fyp #nikabdulaziznikmat #parisofmalaya Islamic education and traditional schools were thriving in Kelantan during this time.
However, prostitution was also rampant. The nickname ‘Paris of Malaya’ was given because Paris, France was also known as a major center of prostitution at the time. Widespread prostitution in Kelantan during the 1950s was largely caused by social issues such as child marriages, young divorces, poverty, and lack of education, which left many women with limited options for supporting themselves and their families.
A British welfare officer named Josephine Foss revealed that madams who exploited young girls as prostitutes were rewarded with stays in luxury hotels. However, many Malays at the time opposed Foss’s statements, believing she was trying to create social tension. The issue of prostitution in Kelantan reportedly began as early as 1916, according to a journal article by Haryati Hassan from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idr.