Thursday November 19, 2009
Pahang Syariah Court won’t bow to pressure
By ROSLINA MOHAMAD
KUANTAN: The Pahang Syariah Court will not bow to popular demand or public criticism and change its decisions, as long as its rulings are made according to Islamic-based laws.
State Religious Affairs, Unity and Non-Governmmental Organisations Committee chairman Datuk Mohamad Sahfri Ab Aziz said the Syariah Court had always been firm in its decisions and made no apologies for such resoluteness.
He added that action could be taken against anyone who challenged the court’s decision, which included being held in contempt of court.
“The state’s syariah law has provided a penalty for those who criticise or show disrespect to the court’s rulings,” Mohamad Shafri said when replying Datuk Md Sohaimi Mohamed Shah (BN — Sungai Lembing) at the Pahang State Assembly sitting yesterday.
Mohamad Shafri said an offender could be fined up to RM1,000 for contempt of court as stipulated under Section 210 of the Syariah Criminal Procedure Enactment (Pahang) 2002.
In replying a supplementary question from Md Sohaimi on issues from the caning sentence imposed on Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, Mohamed Sahfri said the state government did not view the issue based on the part-time model’s case.
Kartika, 32, was fined RM5,000 and sentenced to be caned six times by the Kuantan Syariah High Court after she confessed to drinking beer at a hotel in Cherating on July 11 last year.
Mohamed Sahfri also said although Kartika pleaded guilty and was willing to be whipped, they had to be careful when carrying out the punishment, especially on female offenders.
To a supplementary question from Norol Azali Sulaiman (BN — Guai), Mohamed Sahfri said feedback and responses following Kartika’s case would not impede the state’s enforcement, prosecution or judicial processes.
Pahang had made it mandatory for those convicted of consuming liquor to be whipped and the court would continue to mete out the punishment, in line with the provisions stipulated, he added.
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