MINISTER in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said there is a need to review the public nature of caning under shariah law.

“It (the provision) must be looked into, whether the (general) public can be present. The two or three officials present can be considered as the public.

“To me, it is a matter of technicality and can be debated,” he told reporters after launching the book Suatu Perjalanan Hidup (A Life Journey), authored by Professor Dr Denison Jayasooria, at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia today.

He was commenting on the caning of two women by the Terengganu shariah court earlier today. The women were found guilty of having sex in a car on April 8.

Mujahid, who is the minister in charge of religious affairs, said he followed the developments in the case, and believed that everything was done according to the law.

“I understand that they pleaded guilty to committing the offence of ‘muhasaqah’ (same-sex relations between women).

“They were given 14 days to appeal, and they did not.”

He said he was told that the punishment was meted out in accordance with Islamic and local laws.

He added that those who wanted to do away with the shariah punishment must abide by the law in fighting their cause.

He said regardless of their sexual orientation, suspects underwent the same process after their arrest.

Mujahid also lauded the Selangor sultan’s decision to increase the minimum marriageable age for Muslims in the state from 16 to 18. – Bernama, September 3, 2018.