KUALA TERENGGANU: The punishment of six strokes of the cane for a construction worker found guilty of repeated khalwat (close proximity) was completed within two minutes.
The accused, Mohd Affendi Awang, 42, dressed in red prison attire, arrived at Dewan A'asim in Al-Muktafi Billah Shah Mosque at approximately 2.28pm, escorted by officers from the Marang Prison Department.
Upon arrival, Mohd Affendi, who was handcuffed, was taken to a special room for a medical check-up, which lasted around 20 minutes.
Before the caning, the accused was brought before prison officials, representatives from the Terengganu Religious Affairs Department (JHEAT), and health officers at the designated caning area in the hall.
Mohd Affendi nodded in understanding when a prison officer explained the punishment.
The six strokes of the cane began at approximately 2.50pm and were fully completed by 2.52pm.
Following the caning, Mohd Affendi, who was wearing a face mask, was once again taken to the special room in the hall for a post-punishment health examination.
He was then escorted out of Dewan A'asim in a prison vehicle at around 3.01pm.
The Chairman of the State Committee on Information, Dakwah, and Shariah Empowerment, Dr Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi, witnessed Mohd Affendi's caning.
Also present were the Commissioner of the Terengganu Religious Affairs Department (JHEAT) M. Rozi Bidin and the Terengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIDAM) president Datuk Shaikh Harun Ismail.
Seventy onlookers, including the press observed the execution of the punishment.
However, no family members of Mohd Affendi were present at the time.
Three strokes were administered to his back, while the remaining three were directed to his buttocks.