Wednesday August 26, 2009
PM: Corporal punishment must be the last resort
KUALA LUMPUR: Corporal punishment should be the last resort in the enforcement of Syariah laws against women, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
The Prime Minister said it should be based on compassion, mercy and tarbiyah or education purposes.
“Islam is a religion of compassion and mercy. It is not about corporal punishment. That is the last resort.
“That’s how it should be practised. We must not go overboard,” he said at the national Women’s Day celebration at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, last night. Najib also said Islam practised fairness, justice, mercy, compassion and provided a sense of opportunity for one to redeem and correct oneself.
“That’s more important than punishment. Hopefully, the right people will hear what I say,” he said, adding that women should not be victimised in the enforcement of Syariah laws.
Najib also announced the National Women Policy 2009 which emphasised on a conducive environment to ensure active and effective women’s participation as well as gender equality.
Earlier in Putrajaya, Najib said Kartika could still appeal against the Pahang Syariah Court’s decision to whip her.
She should not resign to the fact that such a sentence had been meted out on her,” he said. “I feel that she should not be too quick in accepting the fact that she has been punished.
“Actually there is still an avenue for her to appeal. The authority concern is always sensitive and considerate,” he told reporters after chairing the National Finance Council yesterday.
On July 20, the Pahang Syariah High Court had fined Kartika RM5,000 and ordered her to be given six strokes of the rotan after she pleaded guilty to drinking beer at a hotel in Cherating last year.
The 32-year-old part-time model was to be caned on Monday but religious authorities decided to defer the sentence in view of Ramadan.
News Poll
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Girl and stepmum held over bid to kill first wife
- Biggest karaoke session a blast
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Teoh's second autopsy completed 3.15pm
- Victim’s dad nabs kidnapper
- Teoh’s body exhumed for second autopsy today
- Foreigner falls to her death from condominium
- Malaysians must get regular dental checks
- Court ruling takes bite out of local council summonses
- Chin Peng apologises for death of innocents
- Malaysians must get regular dental checks
- No licence to try offenders
- Big impact in ‘small’ man’s win
- New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep
- Stop blanket approval for outsourcing, says union
- Teoh's second autopsy completed 3.15pm
- Weapons drawn for new battle
- Johor set to be a medical hub
RSS
