Umno Youth, Wanita Umno lodge police report against JAG
(Bernama) – Johor Baru Umno Youth and Wanita Umno today lodged a report against the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) to have the organisation investigated under the Sedition Act for interfering in the caning sentence on part-time model Kartika Sari Dewi Sukarno.
Johor Baru Umno Youth chief Khalid Mohamed and Wanita Umno chief Salmah Saffar made the report at the central police station here at 1:40pm.
Salmah said the police report was made because JAG’s intention to get an order for suspension, amendment or revocation of the caning sentence imposed on Kartika by the Syariah Court was dangerous, and challenged the position of Islam as the official religion of the country.
“JAG’s demand also does not respect the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay rulers as the heads of Islam in the country, besides provoking the emotions of Muslims and therefore leading to religious conflict that may rock the communal harmony in this country,” she said after making the report.
Salmah said JAG had no right to question the decision of Kartika and her family to accept the sentence.
Khalid said his movement viewed JAG’s action seriously and hoped the investigation could be done swiftly.
Kartika Sari Dewi, 32, was fined RM5,000 and sentenced to be caned six times by the Syariah High Court in Kuantan on 20 July after admitting to drinking alcohol in Cherating, Pahang on 11 July 2008.
The caning was recently postponed to respect the month of Ramadan.
JAG recently characterised the caning sentence as cruel, saying it violated international human rights and humiliated a person. It called on the government to abolish the Syariah criminal laws enforced in the states.
In ALOR STAR, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said there was no reason for any quarter to question the implementation of syariah laws in the country, given that Islam was the official religion and that those laws had long been used.
“Why question existing laws? [JAG] just [wants] to get publicity; [they are] wasting time, causing heartache and creating an unstable situation,” he said.
