Public caning for Shariah offences: No discussions between Terengganu and federal govts, says Azalina

May 1, 2024

Public caning for Shariah offences: No discussions between Terengganu and federal govts, says Azalina

HULU SELANGOR, April 30 — 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.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the proposal would not be easy to implement.

She pointed out that managing Shariah criminal cases involves assistance from federal agencies such as the police for arrests and the Prisons Department for imprisonment.

“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 Baru Court building here today.

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Azalina made these remarks in response to a statement by State Information, Dakwah and Shariah Empowerment Committee chairman Muhammad 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.

Regarding her visit, Azalina said she was briefed on the construction progress of the new Civil Session Court building here, which is scheduled to be completed in June.

“Today, we also discussed the implementation of the latest technology and software to streamline processes at court premises.

“As we look ahead to 2025, we need to prioritise training and the adoption of technology in our budget. Developed countries are already using AI language translators,” she said. — Bernama