On February 18th, 2010, the public were informed that, nine days earlier, 3 Muslim women were caned, having been found guilty under Section 23 (2) of Federal Territory Syariah Criminal Offences Act 1997 (for sexual intercourse out of wedlock). This is the first time that women have been caned in Malaysia and so, these three women will have the dubious privilege of having their names entered into the Malaysia Book of Records! Thus, they are depriving Kartika, the part-time model, of this honour!
Naturally, this has resulted in an OUTCRY OVER CANING (the Sun headlines on 19th February 2010). The Sisters in Islam (SIS) executive director said that “whipping of women under syariah criminal offences legislation contradicts civil law where women are not punishable by caning under Section 289 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) does not support or condone any form of whipping and corporal punishment meted out against any person. The president of the Bar Council stated “our position echoes international human rights norms that condemn whipping and other forms of corporal punishment as cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.”
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has repeatedly urged our government to ratify the convention against torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment (CAT). However, their appeals to the government have always fallen on deaf ears.
This punishment of caning for sexual offences reminds me of the story of the woman caught in adultery, recorded in John 7:53 – 8:11
‘Then each went to his own home.
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”‘
NO CONDONEMENT but also NO CONDEMNATION
The Micah Mandate is a Christian-based public interest advocacy ministry that seeks a transformation of our nation through justice, mercy and humility.
