MSIAN DEPUTY PM WANTS RELIGIOUS DEPTS TO EDUCATE PUBLIC ON CANING SENTENCE

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 19 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said
Friday Islamic religious departments should play their role in educating the
public and enhancing understanding on the whipping sentence, which was meted out
on three women on Feb 9 for committing illicit sex.

He said it was important that the society as well as the international
community understand the issue so as not to create the wrong impression about
the country.

"The important thing now is for state Islamic religious departments, perhaps
with cooperation from federal agencies, to help enhance understanding about the
sentence," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee
on Human Capital here Friday.

He said that state governments had been implementing the Syariah law and
that the enforcement was under state jurisdictions.

Muhyiddin was asked to comment on the reactions within and outside the
country, with some expressing outcry, on the caning sentence meted out on the
three women for engaging in illicit sex.

The three women, aged 18 and in their 20s, were caned at the Kajang Women's
Prison. Each each had delivered a child out of wedlock.

They are the first women to receive such punishment under the Syariah law.

The three, who surrendered to the Federal Territory Islamic Religious
Department (Jawi), said they accepted the punishment and repented.

Muhyiddin said the Syariah Court was empowered to punish Muslims who
committed offences under the Syariah law.

"Based on this, the punishment is legitimate and in accordance with the
law," he said.

Nevertheless, explanation was needed "maybe because this is rather new," he
said.

Muhyiddin said the international community might have miscontrued the
punishment to be similar to that of a corporal punishment or severe whipping.

He added that in Islam, the approach was more towards educating the
offe nders and to make them repent.

"It's not the same (as corporal punishment). It is far lighter," he said.
-- BERNAMA


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