Syariah court of appeal to revise Kartika’s sentence
(The Malaysian Insider) KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 –- The Pahang Syariah Court of Appeal is seeking to revise the sentence of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno whose caning was deferred yesterday.
The intervention by the Syariah court of appeal comes after widespread international coverage of Kartika’s highly anticipated lashing yesterday, prompting concerns that Malaysia could be labeled as “fanatical” as a result.
According to Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil, the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, the order was made by the chief syariah judge of the Pahang Syariah Court of Appeal yesterday.
“We were relieved that the chief judge is coming up with the order for a revision. We will wait for the outcome of asking the case to be revised,” she told reporters at a press conference this afternoon.
“I am impressed with and commend the chief judge’s wisdom for making the order of revision.”
Even though Kartika has said she will not bow to pressure to appeal, the ministry’s legal advisor Salahudin Hidayat Shariff said that no appeal is necessary for the court of appeal judge to intervene.
He told reporters that a letter was sent to the prison department asking for Kartika’s caning to be deferred until a revision of her sentencing is made in the interest of “justice”.
Sharizat denied that the government is urging Kartika to appeal in order to perform damage control in the face of widespread international publicity over the case, saying that it was about ensuring that the spirit of the Islamic legal system was implemented properly.
Kartika’s case could be an exceptional one, Shahrizat added, where she might have been so “traumatised” that she is hesitant to question the Syariah court decision.
Kartika was given the maximum penalty of a RM5,000 fine and six lashes of the rotan for drinking beer at a hotel in Najib’s home state of Pahang.
The sentence was handed down by the Kuantan Syariah High Court on 20 July.
It will be the first caning of a woman under Islamic laws in Malaysia but officials have put off Kartika’s caning till after Ramadan.
The case has been criticised by more liberal Muslims and also non-Muslims who fear Malaysia is drifting from its secular traditions.
Najib’s administration appears to be concerned with the kind of message the sentence sends out to the world as Malaysia has portrayed itself as a model for a moderate and progressive Muslim country and today urged Kartika to appeal her sentencing.
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