KUALA LUMPUR: Infidelity may be bad for a marriage, but it’s good business for local private investigators who report an increasing number of suspicious spouses among their clients.

The men and women are willing to pay up to RM1,500 a day for proof of unfaithfulness to start divorce proceedings, according to several of the more established detective firms in the Klang Valley.

Kristin Nair of Kay Spy Solutions said that investigating extra-marital affairs accounted for 90% of her business, with about 100 inquiries received every month.

The figures that her firm and others cited reflect the Durex Sexual Well-Being Global Survey 2011 report released recently, which ranked Malaysians third among 36 nationalities for being the most unfaithful partners. In the survey, 33% of Malaysian men and 39% of Malaysian women confessed to cheating on their spouses.

Nair said: “There are as many unhappy husbands as suspicious wives among our clients. The market rate for surveillance is RM1,000 daily, going up to RM1,500 if the work involves going out of town.”

A detective from Jay Private Investigations here said cases involving philandering spouses had been providing the firm with a steady income.

Most of the clients are married women who suspect their husbands of having affairs.

“We conduct investigations throughout the country. Sometimes, we even tail the husbands to Thailand,” he said.

Aziz Ariarasa Abdullah, the chief executive officer of MVD International, said that checking on spouses made up 10% of the company’s business.

“On average, we handle seven such cases a month, with each case requiring at least three days of surveillance,” he added.

Because of stiff competition, some private investigators are advertising their services in newspapers, online and on the back of taxis.

There are 26 companies advertising on classified website 88db.com, but people in the industry believe the total is many times higher.

They said there were numerous unlicensed investigators operating with “just a car and a camera”.

Chartered psychologist Prof Dr Sarinah Low Abdullah observed the changing society was creating more opportunities for men and women to socialise.

“In our modern world, temptation is everywhere and sometimes you can’t resist it.

“We all get attracted to other people, especially if he or she meets your ideal,” said Dr Sarinah from the Health Research Development Unit of Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Medicine.