Normalising caning

(Corrected at 3:10pm, 8 March 2010)

“The public and world community no longer needs to fear caning as a punishment under the syariah because it is not cruel but instead educates the offenders. It also provides awareness and teaches the offenders to repent and not repeat the acts.”

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who is also Umno vice-president, elaborating after three Muslim women were caned on 9 Feb 2010. The announcement of their caning was made nine days after the women were punished for having “illicit sex”. Two received six strokes whereas one received four strokes. All three were also subject to prison sentences, with one to be released only in June 2010. (Source: Muslim groups back caning of women, The Malaysian Insider, 18 Feb 2010)

“Kalau hendak diambil kira hukuman enam kali sebatan itu ia begitu ringan sedangkan asalnya 100 kali sebatan terhadap mereka yang melakukan persetubuhan haram manakali 80 kali sebatan terhadap yang minum arak.”

“[Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor] mengaku kesalahannya dan mahu dihukum secara Islam, jadi Kartika seorang yang jujur dan mempunyai kesedaran.”

Perak mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria defending the caning of the three Muslim women and criticising Sisters in Islam (SIS) for condemning it. He also said anyone who thought the caning discriminated against women, as SIS did, did not believe in Allah’s law and could be seen as having left Islam. (Source: Harussani bidas Sisters in Islam, Utusan Malaysia, 19 Feb 2010)

“Wanita berkenaan begitu terharu kerana apa yang disebut sebelum ini adalah tidak tepat dan kata mereka kalau 100 rotan syariah pun, ia tidak sama dengan satu rotan sivil.

“Ini cakap-cakap orang yang telah menjalani hukuman dan walaupun ia tidak berat tetapi kesannya tetap sama denga hukuman sivil iaitu dapat menimbulkan rasa keinsafan sehingga mereka memohon supaya rakan yang lain jangan mengulangi kesalahan sama.”

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom saying the three women who were caned had given feedback that the sentence was not as heavy as portrayed by other parties. Jamil, who is also Umno supreme council member, said the women had expressed relief as they could now avoid guilty feelings after being punished before Allah. (Source: Henti pertikai hukuman sebat, Utusan Malaysia, 19 Feb 2010)

“Under the Islamic approach, it is more to educate, to make them repent, the punishment is mild.”

(Corrected) Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin defending the caning following criticism from women and human rights groups.  (Source: Syariah caning is mild, says Muhyiddin, The Malaysian Insider, 19 Feb 2010)

“No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

ARTICLE 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the United Nations general assembly in 1948 and which Malaysia has signed. (Source: United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948)

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