Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah has assured Muslims that public caning is not as harsh as it seems.
He explains that Syariah laws are more into prevention and education rather than being punitive.
"One of the main aspects of Syariah laws is to educate people of the punishment imposed should an offence be committed.
"And unlike the present Criminal Procedure Code, Syariah laws are meant to be preventive rather than offensive," he said when contacted by The Star on Tuesday.
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Mohd Amar, who is the state hudud technical committee chairman, was asked about the suggestions by PAS lawmakers to implement public flogging for Syariah law offenders.
He said there were also other suggestions that public flogging be carried out in stadiums, or football or even school fields, besides than the mosques.
According to him, the issue is being studied by the Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department and the Sultan Ismail Petra International Islamic College, which will take about two months to complete.
Presently, offenders who breached the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 are whipped in the court chambers in front of witnesses.
(I dont know much about Syarie Law but I was canned once at the school hall before 800 other students and teachers - luckily there were 16 of us - during my secondary. Malu jugak, beb! But doesn't Islam teach us to also cover the maruah or dignity of our brothers? Public canning may subject them to askance and prejudice...)
He explains that Syariah laws are more into prevention and education rather than being punitive.
"One of the main aspects of Syariah laws is to educate people of the punishment imposed should an offence be committed.
"And unlike the present Criminal Procedure Code, Syariah laws are meant to be preventive rather than offensive," he said when contacted by The Star on Tuesday.
Mohd Amar, who is the state hudud technical committee chairman, was asked about the suggestions by PAS lawmakers to implement public flogging for Syariah law offenders.
He said there were also other suggestions that public flogging be carried out in stadiums, or football or even school fields, besides than the mosques.
According to him, the issue is being studied by the Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department and the Sultan Ismail Petra International Islamic College, which will take about two months to complete.
Presently, offenders who breached the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 are whipped in the court chambers in front of witnesses.
(I dont know much about Syarie Law but I was canned once at the school hall before 800 other students and teachers - luckily there were 16 of us - during my secondary. Malu jugak, beb! But doesn't Islam teach us to also cover the maruah or dignity of our brothers? Public canning may subject them to askance and prejudice...)