CANING TOO HEAVY FOR DRINKERS: MUIS
TAWAU:
Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis) chairman Datuk Syed Abas Syed Ali sees the six strokes of the cane imposed by the Pahang Syariah High Court on a Muslim man and woman caught consuming liquor as too heavy. He proposed rehabilitation instead, to educate Muslims to stay away from alcoholic drinks.
“Six strokes of the cane is too heavy a sentence. That’s not the way. It’s better to send those caught consuming liquor for rehabilitation. “It’s not easy for alcoholics to kick the bad habit, just like cigarette smokers who find it so difficult to quit smoking,” he said.
Syed Abas, who is also Balung assemblyman, was asked to comment on the Pahang Syariah High Court’s decision to order Mohamad Nasir Mohamad, 38, a shipping company staff from Kemaman, and waitress Noorazah Baharuddin, 22, to be given six strokes of the “syariah cane” each for consuming liquor at separate pubs in the state last year. They were also fined RM5,000 each.
— Bernama
