KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — A Terengganu executive councillor (exco) has said that the public will no longer be surprised by Shariah sentences such as public caning, after two women were punished there today.
Malaysiakini reported its exco in charge of Shariah implementation, Satiful Bahri Mamat as insisting that the punishment were not to hurt the women, but to educate the public.
“From what we can see today, I believe [such sentences] will no longer shock the public,” he reportedly said.
He also said that the caning served as a reminder to Muslims against committing ‘zina’, or illicit sex, labelling the offence as a “cancer that can spread in society”.
Additionally, Terengganu Bar chairman Sallehudin Harun reportedly said that today’s event will enlighten the public over the sentence.
“I was [initially] confused and thought that this was a heavy punishment. From what we saw today, the public would have a more positive picture,” he reportedly said.
Two women were punished by six strokes of the cane individually by a female caning officer from the Kajang Prison, after they were found guilty of committing lesbian sex.
Around 100 people witnessed the punishment in the court room, including public onlookers, government agencies’ representatives, and NGO members.
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