She said DBKL issued licences based on the proposed activities submitted by applicants.

“If it’s for a spa, we allow it. What happens after that is sometimes beyond our control,” she said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.

Zaliha was responding to a question from Isam Isa (BN-Tampin) on whether local authorities had checked on the premises after the licence was issued.

Isam was referring to the arrest of 208 individuals, including 17 civil servants, teenagers and senior citizens, at a two-storey gym and sauna in Chow Kit last Friday, believed to be a hotspot for immoral activities.

Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Azani Omar said the premises had allegedly been operating daily for the past eight to 10 months, and was believed to be a meeting spot for men to pair up and engage in same-sex relationships.

Zaliha said DBKL conducted regular spot checks on licensed premises to curb such illicit activities.

She said enforcement would be carried out immediately upon the receipt of complaints.

She also said that DBKL would rope in the KL Strike Force, which comprises religious authorities and the social welfare department, to act on certain issues.