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KUALA LUMPUR, 10 MARCH, 2010: An online poll on the caning sentence under shariah law featured recently on The Department of Islamic Development’s (JAKIM) website has cooked up a storm on Twitter and Facebook with a flood of comments from people claiming that the poll was rigged by JAKIM.
The poll which was held to determine the public’s opinion on the caning of women for alcohol consumption and adultery initially showed a significant number of those who agree compare to those who disagree. But suspicions arose when the number of those who are against the punishment burst ahead a few hours later.
The poll question from JAKIM’s website:
Wajarkah lelaki dan wanita muslim yang melakukan kesalahan minum arak dan persetubuhan luar nikah dikenakan hukuman sebatan mengikut peruntukan undang-undang jenayah syariah?
Is it appropriate for Muslim men and women who are guilty of drinking alcohol or extra-marital sex to be caned as per Syariah law?
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Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor may be pardoned by the Sultan of Pahang.
The caning issue created a stir when former part-time model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor, 32, was sentenced to be caned under syariah law. It has seen the country’s largest English daily The Star having its license threatened for an article discussing it, and caused Marina Mahathir’s regular column to be censored over it.
On July 20 last year, the Kuantan Syariah High Court fined Kartika RM5,000 and ordered her to be caned six times for consuming alcohol at a hotel lobby in Cherating in 2007. She paid the fine but is still waiting for the caning sentence to be meted out.
On March 3, Kartika was summoned by the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who said that he would present her case to the sultan as soon as possible for a decision for her to be pardoned by the Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah.
Under the Pahang Syariah Criminal Procedure Code 2002, the sultan had absolute power to grant Kartika a pardon although she did not seek one.
Tengku Abdullah is also the president of Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MUIP).
JAKIM’s director general could not be reached for comments. Related News
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