Public caning of lesbians puts Islam in bad light, says PM

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 6 Sep 2018 11:15AM · 4 Comments

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says Islam is a compassionate religion. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, September 6, 2018.

DR Mahathir Mohamad today described the caning of the two women in Terengganu an act that lacks “mercy” and does not portray true Islam.

“The cabinet is of the opinion that this does not reflect the justice and mercy of Islam,” the prime minister said in a Facebook video uploaded today.

“On the one hand, we know that this is the first case for them and usually in the first case, we need to give advice and not to carry out a public whipping that it is known by the whole country.

“This gives a bad image to Islam. That is why we think that, even if there are such cases, consideration should be given under certain circumstances, where under Islam, the punishment can be made lighter while we give advice and so on.

“It is important that show that the Islamic faith is not a cruel religion that seeks heavy punishment that humiliate people. This is not what Islam promotes.”

Dr Mahathir said mercy is the cornerstone of Islamic teaching.

“As always, before we begin anything, we say the words ‘Bismillahirrahmanirrahim’, in the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.  But we act as if there is no mercy at all in Islam,” he said in the post. 

Aceh practises shariah law and conducts public caning against female offenders. – EPA pic, September 6, 2018.

The Terengganu shariah court, with the assistance of prison officers, administered the caning of two women in front of 100 witnesses on Monday. 

The women, aged 32 and 22, were caned after the shariah court found them guilty of having sex in their car on April 8.

Their caning marks the first time women have received this form of sentencing under shariah law in Terengganu. 

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs) Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the public nature of the caning must be reconsidered.

The caning has been condemned by several rights groups. 

“This abhorrent ‘punishment’ does not bode well for the way Islam in Malaysia is progressing,” said Lawyers for Liberty executive director Latheefa Koya. – September 6, 2018.

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Comments

  • Now you talk. It is all after effect hog wash. As a PM you should have nip it at the bud and challenge PAS in their own atrocious Islamic acts. Putra jaya has its own Islamic institution with highly schooled scholars of true Islamic studies and not the man made version practises to educate the Muslim in the right path. Every actions to counter after the damages has been done will not have the advantage to rectify. It will be viewed as empty talks and a shame that all the Muslim leaders in PH and all the cabinets Minister are totally self serving and hypocites to the effect. Their pretense in being religiously correct to ensure support from the conservative Muslim are just being damning where moral compassion and magnanimous values to educate are totally lost. A shock indeed where even the Minister in charge of religious affairs are so meek in taking it head on . Even the church mouse sounds louder. What's the use in crying out that Malaysia is secularism in the constitution but on the other hand we have watered down version in accpetance of official religious practises into the parliamentary system. All these has allowed and arises ultra and barbaric practises in man made orthodox religious practise. Totally a deviation to fulfill the highly hype Malaysia Baru and Sayangi Malaysia shits !!!!!!!!

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

    • Separation of power laaa... Malaysia baru ma

      Posted 5 years ago by Luke Skywalker · Reply

    • I totally agree & salute to your comments

      Posted 5 years ago by Witzi Leong · Reply

  • I feel soooo sorry for the world of Islam followers . It is not in the teaching of the Quran or any religion. It is a cruelty perpetrated by a
    group of people (PAS = ISIS).

    Posted 5 years ago by Janet Tg · Reply