Malaysian Man Sentenced to Public Caning for Close Proximity Violation

A 42-year-old construction worker in Terengganu, Malaysia, has been sentenced to six strokes of the cane and a fine after being found guilty of violating Islamic laws on “khalwat,” or being in close proximity with a member of the opposite sex outside of marriage. The ruling was delivered by a Sharia court judge, according to the state news agency Bernama.

This marks the man’s third conviction for the same offence. The public caning is scheduled to take place on December 6 at a mosque following Friday prayers, provided he does not appeal the ruling. Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi, a Terengganu state executive councillor, confirmed the news via a Facebook video, emphasizing that this will be the first public execution of such a punishment in the state.

“Previously, canings were conducted in private. This decision to carry out the punishment publicly is a new development in Terengganu,” Khalil stated.

The sentence is a result of recent amendments to Terengganu’s Islamic laws, which now permit public executions of certain punishments. Terengganu operates under Malaysia’s dual legal system, which enforces both secular and Islamic laws. Caning is commonly used for crimes such as drug trafficking and rape. However, exemptions apply to women, individuals over 50, and those sentenced to death.

Terengganu, governed by the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), has adopted stricter interpretations of Islamic law in recent years. In 2018, the state made headlines when two women were publicly caned for attempting same-sex relations, a move that drew widespread international criticism.

This latest case underscores the ongoing debate over the enforcement of Islamic laws in Malaysia and their implications for human rights.