KUALA TERENGGANU: The caning sentence for the first person in Terengganu convicted of repeated khalwat (close proximity) at Masjid Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, Kuala Terengganu, scheduled for this Friday, has been postponed.
State Committee on Information, Da'wah, and Syariah Empowerment chairman Dr Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi said the postponement followed a review application filed with the Syariah Court of Appeal yesterday.
As a result, the execution of the syariah caning punishment outside prison has been temporarily suspended, pending further directives from the Syariah Court of Appeal.
"The review application is a common process in the judiciary system, and the public is advised to await the Court of Appeal's next order," he said.
Khalil also advised all parties to refrain from speculation and to trust the syariah court.
"This caning punishment is a syariah penalty under takzir (punishable) offences, aimed at educating the offender and serving as a deterrent for others. The punishment will still be carried out at the same location in the near future," he said during a press conference at Wisma Darul Iman today.
On Nov 20, a carpenter became the first person in Terengganu sentenced to six public lashes at a mosque by the Terengganu Syariah High Court for repeated khalwat.
LINK: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/11/1137147/carpenter-becomes-fir...
The sentence was delivered by Syariah High Court Senior Judge Kamalruazmi Ismail, after the accused, Mohd Affendi Awang, 42, pleaded guilty to the charge under Section 31(a) of the Syariah Criminal Offences (takzir) Enactment (Terengganu) 2022 Amendment.
Kamalruazmi sentenced the accused to six lashes and imposed a fine of RM4,000 or six months in jail if the fine is not paid.
Khalil added that the review application was submitted by the relevant agency to ensure the process is carried out smoothly.
"Such applications can be made by any party to ensure that punishments are implemented in an orderly and systematic manner," he said.
When asked whether external pressure, including from NGOs, influenced the postponement, Khalil said that the review had no connection to such groups.
"This has nothing to do with any pressure. We want the punishment to be carried out in the best way possible," he said.