KUALA TERENGGANU: The public caning of a repeat khalwat (close proximity) offender will be conducted on Dec 27 at Masjid Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, Ladang, here.
State Information, Preaching and Syariah Empowerment Committee chairman Dr Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi announced that the Terengganu Syariah Court of Appeal made the unanimous decision following a postponement on Dec 6, reported Sinar Harian.
"The postponement of the public caning of the khalwat offender led to the Terengganu Syariah Court of Appeal convened on Dec 11.
“It found the application for review appropriate under Section 18 of the Syariah Court Enactment (Terengganu) 2001.
“It also maintained the punishment of six strokes and a RM4,000 fine or six months in prison if the fine unpaid, as decided by the Terengganu Syariah High Court on Nov 20, 2024.
Thus, the public caning for the repeat khalwat offender will proceed at Masjid Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, Ladang, Kuala Terengganu, as previously determined," he said on Monday (Dec 16).
Muhammad Khalil said the caning would occur after Friday prayers.
He mentioned that the authorities would release detailed information on the standard operating procedures for the punishment before the event.
"I wish to emphasise that this caning serves as a deterrent to prevent others from committing similar offences.
"The execution of this syariah caning also highlights the differences between civil and syariah caning," he said.
On Nov 20, Sinar Harian reported that a widower became the first individual in Terengganu to receive six public canings in a mosque for repeated khalwat offences, as per the Terengganu Syariah High Court's ruling.
The offender, Mohd Affendi Awang, 42, also received four canings in prison and was fined RM3,000 by the Terengganu Syariah High Court on Feb 19 under the same enactment.
Previously, he was fined RM2,700 or sentenced to three months in jail after pleading guilty to khalwat charges at the Kemaman District Syariah Lower Court on July 11, 2023.
According to the amended Syariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) Enactment (Terengganu) 2022, a second or subsequent khalwat offence can result in up to six strokes of the cane, a RM5,000 fine, or three years in prison.
On Dec 4, Muhammad Khalil announced the temporary postponement of the caning of a khalwat offender at a mosque pending further orders from the Syariah Court of Appeal.
Muhammad Khalil stated that an application for review was filed with the court on Dec 3.
