Premier urges woman to appeal caning sentence

Malaysia’s prime minister urged a woman scheduled to be caned for drinking beer to appeal against the sentence.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said her plea is likely to get a sympathetic ear from Islamic authorities.

Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno was arrested by Islamic morality police for drinking beer at a hotel lounge at a beach resort in December 2007.

She was sentenced to six lashes of a rattan cane by the Shariah court last month for violating Islamic laws that ban Muslims from drinking alcohol.

Mr Najib said today: “There are still avenues for her to appeal and the authority concerned is sensitive and considerate in this matter.”

Islamic authorities postponed her caning – scheduled for this week – to until after the holy month of Ramadan.