KOTA BARU: Kelantan does not rule out the possibility of following Terengganu's example in implementing public syariah caning if the best standard operating procedures (SOP) are in place.
The State Committee on Islamic Development, Da'wah, information, and community relations chairman, Mohd Asri Mat Daud, said that in principle, the Kelantan government has also approved the same through the Syariah Criminal Procedure Enactment 2002 (Amendment 2017), which allows for public caning of offenders.
"God willing, it will also be implemented in Kelantan when we have the best SOP," he said in a statement tonight.
Mohd Asri described the public syariah caning outside the prison in a mosque by the Terengganu government today for a repeat khalwat offender as a more serious and effective way to educate society.
He said that closed caning involving the presence of prison wardens only has long been implemented in all states.
He added that changing the implementation to public caning according to syariah procedures, involving a quota of 70 people allowed as witnesses, is a step that captures the spirit of syariah punishment and does not contradict any syariah provisions.
"Kelantan congratulates Terengganu on the implementation of a punishment that educates society more effectively and aligns with syariah-based punishment standards.
"All parties should not create misleading narratives, including politicising syariah methods that follow standard operating procedures (SOP). In fact, all parties should place full trust in the Terengganu government to implement it," he said.
Earlier, the media reported that the implementation of six strokes of the cane on a carpenter found guilty of repeated khalwat offences went smoothly with full decorum and adherence to all principles of Islamic justice.
Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, reportedly said that the punishment was not solely intended to punish but also as a form of education, teaching, and prevention to bring society closer to Islamic values.