Malaysia: Most Support Caning of Women, Says Malaysian Official
— Jakarta Globe reports: “Most Malaysians accept the caning of women under the country’s Shariah courts, Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director general Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz said on Wednesday.”
— ” ‘Jakim held a seminar to discuss caning long before it became an issue among Malaysians. The outcome was encouraging because the participants understood the whys and hows of it,’ he said as quoted by newspaper Web site thestar.com.”
— ” ‘We are aware that some parties are still unable to accept the punishment but given time and more explanation, I believe they will come around.’ ”
— “He added that Jakim was ‘willing to explain the issue all over again, to whoever needs an explanation.'”
— “Malaysia’s Women’s Minister, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, said on Tuesday that she hoped to organize a conference with representatives of other Muslim-majority countries to discuss the punishment.”