KUALA LUMPUR: The Pahang Syariah Court of Appeal is seeking to revise the sentence of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno whose caning was deferred yesterday.
According to Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil, the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, the order was made by the chief syariah judge of the Pahang Syariah Court of Appeal yesterday.
“We will wait for the outcome of asking the case to be revised,” she told reporters at a press conference this afternoon.
Kartika was given the maximum penalty of a RM5,000 fine and six lashes of the rotan for drinking beer at a hotel in Najib’s home state of Pahang.
It will be the first caning of a woman under Islamic laws in Malaysia but officials have put off Kartika’s caning till after Ramadan.
The case has been criticised by more liberal Muslims and also non-Muslims who fear Malaysia is drifting from its secular traditions.
Najib’s administration appears to be concerned with the kind of message the sentence sends out to the world as Malaysia has portrayed itself as a model for a moderate and progressive Muslim country and today urged Kartika to appeal her sentencing.
“I think the affected party should appeal to the state authorities and not be so willing to accept the punishment,” the prime minister told reporters this morning.
Kartika, however, said she has no plans to appeal as she wants to get it over with.
“I don’t want to appeal,” Kartika told The Associated Press. “They shouldn’t ask me to appeal.”
The prime minister also expressed confidence that the religious authorities would be considerate and seemed to strongly suggest that the government was working to avoid the sentence from being carried out.
Legal experts have also criticised the caning as it could open up the state government to legal action as Malaysian law does not allow caning without imprisonment.
MI
25/08/09
According to Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil, the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, the order was made by the chief syariah judge of the Pahang Syariah Court of Appeal yesterday.
“We will wait for the outcome of asking the case to be revised,” she told reporters at a press conference this afternoon.
Kartika was given the maximum penalty of a RM5,000 fine and six lashes of the rotan for drinking beer at a hotel in Najib’s home state of Pahang.
It will be the first caning of a woman under Islamic laws in Malaysia but officials have put off Kartika’s caning till after Ramadan.
The case has been criticised by more liberal Muslims and also non-Muslims who fear Malaysia is drifting from its secular traditions.
Najib’s administration appears to be concerned with the kind of message the sentence sends out to the world as Malaysia has portrayed itself as a model for a moderate and progressive Muslim country and today urged Kartika to appeal her sentencing.
“I think the affected party should appeal to the state authorities and not be so willing to accept the punishment,” the prime minister told reporters this morning.
Kartika, however, said she has no plans to appeal as she wants to get it over with.
“I don’t want to appeal,” Kartika told The Associated Press. “They shouldn’t ask me to appeal.”
The prime minister also expressed confidence that the religious authorities would be considerate and seemed to strongly suggest that the government was working to avoid the sentence from being carried out.
Legal experts have also criticised the caning as it could open up the state government to legal action as Malaysian law does not allow caning without imprisonment.
MI
25/08/09
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