Terengganu and Pahang supportive and positive about caning punishment.
- Pahang may consider introducing caning punishment
- PAS cleric claims public caning will “invite Allah’s blessings” to Terengganu
- PAS says activists should respect Syariah court’s decision on public caning
Pahang may follow Terengganu in imposing the caning sentence on offenders convicted of crimes connected to LGBT issues.
Pahang Islamic Religious Department (JAIP) director Mohamad Noor Abdul Rani said the matter was being discussed as the execution of the sentence needs thorough study.
He said the sentence was valid and should be supported as it proves that the authorities are serious about implementing laws that curb LGBT practices.
Saying that JAIP supported caning, Mohamad Noor said a decision had not been made on the matter.
Lauding Terengganu’s public caning of two women, PAS MP Datuk Khairuddin Aman Razali claimed the Shariah punishment would “invite Allah’s blessings” to the state and its people.
The Muslim cleric suggested that the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality and Malaysian Bar should demand the implementation of Shariah caning in civil cases, and the amendment of the Penal Code to be Shariah-compliant instead, if they were rational and humane.
“What is more important is the method of Shariah caning will invite Allah’s blessings to the people and the state, like it was convicted in the Prophet’s hadith.
“There is no spiritual soul in the implementation of civil criminal punishments,” the Kuala Nerus MP said in a statement.
He also claimed that the sentencing proved that the Shariah judiciary is ready and able to implement Shariah criminal code enacted in the state laws.
Despite his claim, the sentencing on Sept 3 was carried out by a Prisons Department officer from the Kajang Prison in Selangor, and not by an officer of Terengganu or the Shariah courts.
Another Prisons Department officer from Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan was also present, but did not mete out the punishment.
On Monday, two women found guilty for attempting to have lesbian sex were caned six times in public at the Terengganu Syariah Court with around 100 witnesses present.
The punishment received worldwide condemnation, with federal minister in charge of religious affairs Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa saying public presence during the sentencing should be reviewed.
Meanwhile, PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad said civil society activists who are up in arms over the public caning should respect the state Syariah Court’s decision.
“These are comments from people who are well-read in terms of the law. They know that the Syariah court only applies to Muslims.
“They should have respected (the decision). This is actually enshrined in the Federal Constitution,” he said to reporters.
Citing Article 121 of the Federal Constitution, Idris said that Syariah Courts have the jurisdiction to impose sentences on such offences, without elaborating further.
At the same time, Idris, without mincing his words, said that disgruntled activists should instead protest against public caning in the civil court.
“They should champion the issue of public caning in the civil court. We can easily Google pictures (of public caning) and even some reporters couldn’t bring themselves to see it.”