Terengganu PAS Youth lodges report over Suhakam’s statement on lesbian caning

State PAS Youth Chief Kamaruzaman Abdullah (third from right) showing the police report at the Kuala Terengganu police station.

KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu PAS Youth is the latest to criticise the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia's (Suhakam) statement over the caning of two women who pleaded guilty to having same-sex relations.

Likening Suhakam’s statement condemning the caning to insulting the Syariah High Court's decision, state PAS Youth Chief Kamaruzaman Abdullah said the punishment meted out to the women was in accordance with God’s orders and no one had the right to question it.

"God had ‘gazetted’ LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) practices as unnatural.

“Whoever goes against God’s teachings is lost,” he said after lodging a police report against Suhakam’s statement at the Kuala Terengganu police station on Sunday (Aug 19).

.Kamaruzaman also referred to the rule of law enshrined under the Rukun Negara and said that everyone has to accept the court’s decision as final.

He said the state Youth wing was shocked by Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail’s statement, which was issued on Wednesday (Aug15), claiming that he had turned his back on the rule of law.

"We view this very seriously because if such a thing is allowed to carry on, it could be disastrous to the rule of law where anyone can belittle religion and criticise court decisions," he said.

He advised Razali to be more careful when issuing such statements as it could also affect national harmony.

On Aug 12, the Syariah High Court here sentenced two women each to a RM3,300 fine and to be caned six times after they pleaded guilty to attempting to have sexual relations in a car in Dungun.

The punishment drew the ire of many human rights groups including Suhakam who called the punishment "humiliating" and "demeaning".

Suhakam also said the punishment was "an attempt to publicly embarrass the women and their families".- Star