By Syauqi Jamil
KUALA LUMPUR: Islamic Party PAS today condemns Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) for denouncing the decisions made by the Terengganu Syariah Court.
Party Secretary General Takiyuddin Hassan alleged Suhakam’s stance on Syariah Court’s decision on August 12 to sentence two women to six strokes of caning each for attempted lesbian relations is contempt of court.
“We Muslim lawmakers strongly objects and condemns Suhakam’s action which is a contempt of court as the punishments are legal by law.”
“We disagree with the statement that stated thr punishments are torture, cruel, inhuman, degrading punishment under international law as it contradicts with or existing laws,” he said.
Speaking with other PAS lawmakers in a press conference in Parliament, the Kota Bharu MP urged Suhakam to retract their statement.
He said failure to do so will result in PAS lodging a complaint to the court as it is the proper procedure for contempt proceedings.
Yesterday, Suhakam in statement denounced the Syariah Court decisons saying that such punishment is humiliating, demeaning and is an attempt to publicly embarrass the women and their families.
Suhakam said this is against the fundamental notion of human dignity, not dissimilar to the commitment to dignity which is imbued in all religions.
They also said that the act of caning violates the absolute prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment under international law.
In defending the Syariah Courts, Takiyuddin said that such punishments are a jurisdiction under the law and is applied to all Muslims in all states of Malaysia.
He said under the Syariah enactment by virtue of the existing (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355), it allows the court to sentence the guilty to jail no more than 3 years, fine no more RM5,000 and caning no more than 6 strokes.
He reiterated and emphasize that such laws are meant for and can only be applied to Muslims in Malaysia.
