By Mail
Foreign Service
Last updated at 12:12 PM on 19th August 2009
A Muslim
part-time model will become the first woman to be caned in Malaysia after
pleading guilty to drinking beer, a prosecutor said today.
An Islamic court ordered that Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, be lashed six
times with a rattan cane after she was caught drinking alcohol in a raid on a
hotel night club in eastern Pahang state last year.
Prosecutor Saiful
Idham Sahimi said Kartika will be the first woman to be caned under Islamic law
after she chose not to appeal the sentence.
He said: 'This is the
first case in
Yesterday the court
set a one-week period starting next Monday for the sentence to be carried out
in a woman's prison, Saiful said. Prison authorities will decide when to cane
her during that period.
He said Kartika will
remain in prison during that time and will be released 'as soon as possible'
after the caning is carried out.
Saiful said: the rattan cane to be used on
Kartika would be lighter than the one used on men, and its purpose was to
'educate' rather than punish.
However in reality Caning, administered on the
buttocks legs or back, breaks the skin and leaves permanent scars. Kartika said earlier that she
wanted authorities to cane her as soon as possible so she can resume her life
with her husband and children.
Some politicians and
women's rights activists have criticized the penalty as too harsh.
Muslims, who make up
about two-thirds of
Most alcohol
offenders are fined, but the crime also carries a three-year prison term and
caning.
Non-Muslims are
governed by civil courts, which also impose caning for offenses such as rape
and corruption. Men over 50, women and children are exempt under civil
law.
A Muslim man and
woman were also arrested during a series of raids in Cherating, a beach town in
Pahang state, on the night when Kartika was arrested.
Both were also
sentenced to caning, but have appealed.
Malaysian clubs and
lounges typically serve alcohol and are not legally required to check if
customers are Muslims before serving them.