SUNGAI SIPUT, Malaysia — A Malaysian Muslim woman is calling for being caned in public for drinking alcohol, saying the punishment will deter other Muslims from serving the beverage. "I never cried when I was sentenced by the judge," Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno told Reuters.

"I told myself, alright then, let's get on with it."

Kartika, a 32-year-old mother of two, was arrested in a raid for drinking beer at a hotel lounge last year.She was sentenced to six lashes by a Shari`ah court in July in what was considered a warning to other Muslims to abide by religious laws.

She also paid a 5,000 ringgit ($1,420) fine.

The penalty has drawn fire from Amnesty International amid calls for the Malaysian government to revoke the sentence.

Regretful Kartika said she does not plan to appeal the court verdict.

"Who am I to question the Islamic authorities' laws? That is beyond me," she said.

Islam takes an uncompromising stand in prohibiting intoxicants.

The general rule in Islam is that any beverage that get people intoxicated when taken is unlawful, both in small and large quantities, whether it is alcohol, drugs, fermented raisin drink or something else.

Muslim Malays form about 60 percent of the 26-million population of multiracial Malaysia.

The multi-ethnic country applies Islamic Shari`ah law only to its Muslim population.

Deterrent

The Malaysian Muslim woman has requested to be caned in public to deter other youth from drinking alcohol.

"I want to respect the law," Kartika said.

Malaysian authorities has rejected the woman’s request, insisting that the punishment be done in a women’s prison next week.

Kartika said four close relatives, including her father and sister, have requested permission to witness her being caned in the prison.

Officials have indicated that the request would be granted, she said.

Kartikla will be the first Malaysian woman to be caned in a prison.

Officials confirmed that they do not intend to hurt her, but she will be struck on the backside using a small thin cane and only with moderate force.

"Shari`ah whipping is more like caning naughty schoolboys," an unidentified "whipping officer" said.

"In Shari`ah the punishment is not in the force of the whipping but to bring shame.

"The whipping implement is supposed to be soft and supple, so as to inflict the least pain."

Kartika’s father, Shukarno Abdul Muttalib, however, still insists that his daughter should be caned in public.

"As a Muslim, I agree with her punishment, but I don't agree that it should be done in jail, she is not a prisoner," he told Bloomberg News.

"If the authorities want to use this as an example, then the caning should be done in public."

Sumber: Hizbut Tahrir Britain