Add Malaysia to the list of countries I will likely never visit. A shame too, because it is a beautiful country, if you subtract the shariah law.
KOTA BHARU, Malaysia – As the Southeast Asian country awaits the first caning sentence on a woman for drinking alcohol, Malaysians are increasingly supporting the penalty to fight illicit behaviour and promote Islamic ideals.“Her punishment is not severe, it will educate people,” Runaidah Abdul Hamid, a housewife, told Reuters on Thursday, September 17.
“It will be a good lesson especially after Ramadan.”
Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, is set to be caned with six lashes after the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan for drinking alcohol.
The penalty of the mother of two was seen as a warning to other Malaysian Muslims to abide by religious laws.
Kartika herself called for being caned in public, saying the punishment will deter other Muslims from serving the beverage.
Islam takes an uncompromising stand in prohibiting intoxicants.
The general rule in Islam is that any beverage that gets 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.
“City of Islam”
Many Malaysians believe that the caning penalty will discourage Muslims from serving alcohol.
“Kartika (Shukarno) will become more Muslim,” said Rahayu Nizam Nawi, a vegetable seller in northern Kelantan’s capital, Khota Bharu.
Meaning “The City of Islam”, Khota Bharu is the capital of Kelantan, which is ruled by the Islamic opposition party PAS.
The party has grown in influence since it joined an opposition grouping led by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.
In 2008, the three-party opposition Peoples Alliance inflicted the biggest ever electoral losses on the National Front government that has ruled Malaysia for 52 years, prompting the Front to replace its prime minister.
PAS now stands a chance of becoming part of any new government. Elections must be held by 2013 at the latest.
Last month, PAS called for an alcohol ban for Muslims in the most developed Malaysian state of Selangor, drawing flacks from foreign groups.
However, this foreign criticism cuts little ice in Kelantan.
“It does not matter what the outside world thinks,” said Nur Manisah Hassim, a snacks vendor at a bustling market in Kota Bharu.
“What matters is that Malaysia is an Islamic country which must practice Islamic laws.”
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