Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Terengganu hasn’t discussed public caning proposal, says Azalina

 

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said to implement public caning would require comprehensive amendments to existing laws.

HULU SELANGOR: There have been no discussions between the Terengganu state government and the federal government regarding the proposal to implement public caning for shariah offences in the state.

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the proposal would not be easy to implement.

She pointed out that managing shariah criminal cases would involve assistance from federal agencies such as the police and the prisons department.

“Does the state have its own police force? Its own prisons? Who will carry out the caning? To impose punishments, there are laws involving federal government agencies. So, we need to look at this comprehensively, or this could lead to various disputes.

“If we intend to implement this, we require comprehensive amendments to existing laws. As an independent nation, we have laws and a constitution that delineate the jurisdiction of state and federal governments,” she told reporters after her visit to the Kuala Kubu Baharu court building today.

Azalina made these remarks in response to a statement by state information, dakwah and shariah empowerment committee chairman Khalil Abdul Hadi who said that the state government was considering public caning for shariah offences to strengthen the implementation of Islamic shariah law in Terengganu.

Meanwhile, religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar said the implementation of public caning for syariah offenders fell under the jurisdiction of the states.

However, he stressed that a comprehensive study involving multiple agencies should be carried out, taking into account all relevant aspects, including the definition of “public” and the philosophy of punishment aimed at balancing educational objectives with preserving the dignity of the offender undergoing punishment. - FMT

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