KOTA BARU: Criminals in the state can be caned in the public following an amendment to the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Procedure Enactment 2002 which was passed by the state assembly here today.
Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said previously canings were done in the prison.
"However, with the amendment, the sentencing can be carried out in public or prison depending on the court’s decision. This is in accordance with the religion, as in Islam the sentencing must be done in public," he told reporters after the closing of the state assembly here today.
The amendments to the law was proposed by state Islamic Development, Dakwah and Information committee chairman Datuk Nassuruddin Daud and seconded by state Women, Family and Welfare committee chairman Mumtaz Md Nawi.
Nassuruddin when tabling the amendments said there was a need to make changes to the law as it had been quite some time that it had not been amended.
He said it had been 15 years since the enactment was made and there have been many developments in the time.
"Among the amendments are the introduction of public canings and the acceptance of video and other electronic equipment as evidence in court trials.
"The other amendments are technical in nature like how the caning will be carried out and so on," he said.
