PAS leader, Malaysian tourists view public caning in Aceh

Dewan Ulama vice-chairman Johari Mat tells Kompas news that it was his first time, adding it was no different to how it is done in Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA: A busload of Malaysian tourists, led by Kelantan politician Johari Mat, were on hand to watch a public caning take place in Aceh earlier this week, the AsiaOne news portal reported.

The visit to the only province in Indonesia that imposes shariah law was a first for Johari, who is the Dewan Ulama vice-chairman of the Islamist party.

Johari, who is also a senator, told Indonesia’s Kompas news that it was his first time witnessing live caning in Aceh. He added that previously, he had only watched a video of it taken by a friend who visited the region earlier.

Johari was also quoted as saying that like in Malaysia, shariah caning in Aceh “is not meant to inflict physical harm on offenders”.

“It is aimed at making them repent for their mistakes and ask God for forgiveness,” he told Kompas.

He added that the major difference between Aceh and Malaysia on how caning under shariah law was carried out was the fact that in the former, it is a public event.

Hundreds of people would gather to watch, and often take photos and videos of the proceedings held on a raised platform, but in Malaysia, caning under the existing shariah enactments are carried out in an enclosed area away from the public eye.

Currently, the shariah criminal punishment in Malaysia is capped at three years’ prison term, RM5,000 fine, and six strokes of the cane.

The proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355), which was tabled by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, seeks to enhance the punishments to 30 years jail, RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the cane.

According to AsiaOne, public caning is not a tourist attraction in Aceh… yet, but Aceh tourism officials have been toying with the controversial idea since 2007.

It was then that the South China Morning Post reported how Aceh’s former head of tourism, Cipta Hunai, had tried to promote public caning as an attraction for tourists.

“I don’t think they are going to scare the tourists. To defend truth and justice is not something scary. I believe tourists would agree,” Cipta was quoted as saying by SCMP.

Indonesia is officially a secular country but Aceh, on Sumatra island, implemented shariah law after being granted special autonomy in 2001.

It was part of the concessions by the central government in Jakarta to quell a long-running separatist insurgency. Shariah laws were then strengthened in 2005.

AFP reported earlier this month that two Indonesian men of Chinese ethnicity, and who were Buddhists, were publicly caned in the city of Jantho.

Non-Muslims who violate Islamic law can either choose to be tried under the national legal system or shariah.

They were punished in front of dozens of local officials and residents for organising cockfighting, which usually involved gambling.

The two men reportedly grimaced as they received nine and seven lashes on their backs respectively, according to the AFP report. -FMT