G25 urges halt to public caning for khalwat in T'ganu

G25 urges halt to public caning for khalwat in T'ganu


Published: Dec 22, 2024 6:28 PM


Summary

• G25 opposes the public caning of Mohd Affendi Awang for khalwat, calling for counselling instead of humiliation.

• The group criticises the use of a mosque for the punishment, calling it a misuse of a sacred space.

• G25 urges Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to intervene and the public to boycott the event.

G25 has joined calls to stop the scheduled public caning of Mohd Affendi Awang for khalwat (close proximity) in Terengganu, urging a more compassionate and humane approach.

In a statement, the group emphasised that public humiliation is inconsistent with Islamic values.

“Offenders of khalwat are not criminals because neither do their transgressions in personal behaviour not pose a threat to life and property nor to the peace and security of the country.”

Instead, the group urged state religious authorities to prioritise counselling and guidance.

The group also appealed to the federal government and the Conference of Rulers to take a progressive stance, with a direct call for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to intervene.

“Given our prime minister’s emphasis on reforms, he should promptly intervene in this matter by speaking out against the public caning so that action can be taken before it is too late,” it added.

Six strokes

On Nov 20, the Terengganu Syariah High Court sentenced Affendi to six strokes of the rotan for being caught three times for khalwat with a woman. He was also fined RM4,000, and failure to pay would subject him to six months in prison.

The state government temporarily suspended the punishment, initially scheduled for Dec 6.

Terengganu Syariah High Court


However, it was reported on Dec 15 that the Terengganu Syariah Court of Appeal upheld the sentence. It will now be carried out after Friday prayers at Masjid Al-Muktafi Billah Shah in Kuala Terengganu, witnessed by 70 selected individuals on Dec 27.

Previously, Sisters in Islam described the sentence as “barbaric” and questioned why cruelty is glorified under the guise of morality.

‘Not a cruel religion’

G25 also condemned the punishment as inconsistent with Islamic teachings, noting that the Quran does not prescribe caning for khalwat and that such public shaming violates principles of compassion and dignity.

“Islam should not be man-made into a cruel religion which teaches through humiliation but should be seen as a religion which embodies compassion and dignity.

“The fact that the whipping was announced to be held in a mosque after Friday prayers, essentially stripping a person of his dignity and right to privacy, is an injustice and affront to the values of compassion in Islam,” it elaborated.

G25 further criticised the decision to conduct the caning in a mosque, calling it a misuse of a sacred space that undermines its sanctity and tarnishes its image.

“Should the public caning proceed, we can no longer call ourselves a moderate Muslim nation,” G25 warned.

“We therefore ask members of the public not to attend the whipping, should it proceed. Let us act with restraint and respect and show, through our actions, that we do not support this cruel and humiliating form of punishment,” it concluded.