KUALA LUMPUR — Human rights group Amnesty International on Friday urged Malaysia not to cane a Muslim model for drinking beer and to abolish the “cruel and degrading punishment”.

Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, was sentenced to a caning and a fine of 5,000 ringgit (1,400 dollars) last month after she pleaded guilty to drinking alcohol at a hotel nightclub in the eastern state of Pahang last year.

She is expected to be caned six times next week and appealed Thursday for her punishment to be carried out in public to deter other Muslims.

But Amnesty said Malaysian authorities should “immediately revoke the sentence to cane her and abolish the practice of caning altogether.”

“Caning is a form of cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and is prohibited under international human rights law,” it said in a statement.

Kartika, a mother of two, who lives in neighbouring Singapore, will be the first woman in the multicultural country to be caned under Islamic law, with the punishment set to be meted out in a female prison.

Malaysia, which has large Chinese and Indian minorities, has a dual-track legal system and sharia courts can try Muslims for religious offences.

Amnesty also said that caning was used as a supplementary punishment for at least 40 crimes in Malaysia.

At least 34,923 migrants mainly from Southeast East Asian countries have so far been caned between 2002 and 2008 for immigration offences, it said, citing prison department records.

Via AFP Aug 21, 2009

If Malaysia is really serious about upholding Sharia laws on Muslims, the enforcers of the law, should first begin by looking at those in government.

What is a little drinking in public compared to the corruption and the plundering of the country’s wealth by those in power?

Does anyone believe the public flogging of this woman is going to change the behaviour of the other Muslims?

Those who believe that are clearly deluded.