Kartika

Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor was caught drinking beer in Cherating Pahang 2 years ago by Islamic enforcement officers. She has pleaded guilty to the charge in a syariah court in Kuantan, Pahang on 21 July 2009. She was fined RM5,000 and handed a sentence of 6 lashes of the cane. Is she the first person in Malaysia to be caned for a drinking offence? Probably.

My problem is not with the notion of the syariah enforcment authorities wielding the big stick but why punishments are discriminate. A male muslim offender in another state was only sentenced to 30 days imprisonment. Many has expressed outrage, among them being Dr Siti Zubaidah Ismail, a criminal law expert at UM's epartment of Syariah and Law.

In the face of it it seems that the pious judge has not taken into account all mitigating factors. And we will never know whether the sentence is fair or not because she has decided not to appeal. In the name of justice, she should appeal the sentence if only to prove to the world that the terms compassionate and merciful are closest to God's name.