By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 30: Sarawak autonomy advocate Peter John Jaban denounces the public caning of a middle-aged man in Terengganu which he believes is evidence of Malaysia’s rapid descent into extremism, driven by a small group of power-hungry fanatics.
He is calling on all political representatives to stand up for Muslim and non-Muslim constituents in their area, specifically in Sarawak itself, to ensure religious freedoms, human rights, and a harmonious multi-cultural and multi-religious society.
To him, the public caning is a watershed moment in Malaysia’s history. It has put on display one of the nation’s most barbaric punishments, practised by only a handful of states in the world and, even then, to great outcry by human rights organisations.
Stating that Saudi Arabia banned the practice in 2020, he raised the question if PAS wants Malaysia to start. Following this, he believes that the next development is the advocating of stoning of women in the town square for adultery next.
He also questioned the rationale for caning the man in public. To him, the public nature of its delivery can only serve one purpose and that is to create shame, horror, and compliance in the general public, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, with PAS setting themselves up as the arbiters of all moral Islamic conduct.
“I believe I can speak for all Sarawakians when I say—not in our territory,” said Peter John, Deputy President of Global Human Rights Federation Malaysia in a statement today.
Peter John was commenting on the case where a 42-year-old carpenter in Terengganu was canned publicly on Dec 27 for committing adultery (khalwat) with a 52-year-old woman not related by family ties.
The carpenter was sentenced to six counts of canning on Nov 20 by Terengganu Syariah High Court after pleading guilty to committing khalwat with the woman. He was also fined RM4,000 with a six-month jail sentence to be served if the fine is not paid.
The carpenter’s case is the second reported public canning case in Terengganu. The first case was in 2018, where two women were canned publicly six times for attempting to have sex in a car.
“As Sarawak seeks to position itself as a global leader in green energy and the hydrogen economy, and as a multi-cultural territory that is in step with the modern world, PAS is chasing a future of restriction, dogma, and state-sponsored violence.
“PMX (10th Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim) might choose to placate them, but Sarawak Premier (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) Abang Jo should not,” said Peter John. — DayakDaily
