A French tourist has been arrested for stripping his Malaysian girlfriend of her clothes and locking her out of his hotel room after an argument, a report said on Wednesday.

The New Straits Times said the 46-year-old woman was found naked and cowering in a corner of the corridor by hotel staff, who covered her up with a blanket and brought her some clothes.

The 49-year-old French tourist was arrested over the incident in Kuala Terengganu, in northeastern Terengganu state, in the early hours of Monday, the daily said.

The man faces charges of criminal intimidation and "outraging the modesty" of the woman, it added.

Police had been called earlier in the night to break up a fierce argument between the pair, according to the report. The woman went home but returned to the hotel and the row flared again.

The newspaper quoted police as saying the pair had met in Malaysia three months ago and had seen each other regularly since.

AFP