(Submitter's note: In morbid irony, a massive storm hit the region on the same day they did the caning and damaged nearly 600 houses.)

Public caning will ‘invite Allah’s blessings’ to Terengganu, PAS cleric claims

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 ? PAS MP Datuk Khairuddin Aman Razali has lauded Terengganu’s public caning sentence against two women yesterday, claiming 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 yesterday was carried out by a Prisons Department officer from the Kajang Prison in Selangor, and not by an officer of the state of Terengganu or the Shariah courts.

Another Prisons Department officer from Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan was also present, but did not mete out the punishment.

Yesterday, two women found guilty for attempting to have lesbian sex were caned six times in public at the Terengganu Syariah Court, as around 100 people watched the punishment.

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.

Women’s rights groups, including Justice for Sisters and Sisters in Islam also claimed the sentencing was unlawful, as the caning punishment can only be done against prisoners, but the duo were not imprisoned.