THREE Muslim women – the first in Malaysia to be caned for illicit sex – claim that their punishment was an opportunity for them to repent of their sins, according to this report.
Prison authorities caned the women on February 9 after an Islamic court passed sentence. The caning has outraged rights groups and revived speculation that conservative Islamists, who advocate harsh punishment, are gaining influence.
The three women, aged 17-25, said they turned themselves in after feeling guilty for sleeping with their boyfriends before marriage and getting pregnant.
The 17-year-old told reporters that she surrendered to Islamic authorities after her prematurely born child died. She is now serving a six-month prison sentence.
This picture of a woman being caned outside a mosque is thought to have been taken in Indonesia
I know I have sinned, and I have to be punished. Strangely however, I felt that the caning was not a form of punishment but was an opportunity for me to repent and return to the right path.
She has already married her boyfriend, who has also been caned and jailed over the offence. The other women, who have one young child each, are planning to marry their partners, who have also been caned, after they are released.
One, aged 25, said she was scared before the caning but knew she deserved the punishment. All three women called on others not to make the same mistake and abstain from sex before marriage.
A Prison Department official confirmed the women’s comments, made at a news conference at the women’s prison outside Kuala Lumpur to local, government-linked media under the watch of authorities. He said they were reluctant to speak to other media. It could not be confirmed whether they were speaking voluntarily. A request with the department for interviews is pending.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin defended the caning, saying it was “far lighter” than what some people might imagine.
The punishment is legitimate and in accordance with the law.
Human rights groups have slammed the caning, saying it is a cruel and degrading punishment and discriminates against Muslim women because Malaysian civil law Âwhich applies to non-Muslims Â-bans the caning of women.
The women, who were fully clothed and sitting on a stool, received between four and six strokes with a thin rattan stick on the back, lasting a few minutes.
Another woman, Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, is still waiting to be caned for drinking beer in public. Her case received international attention last year when she became the first woman slated to receive a caning penalty. But the punishment was deferred indefinitely amid a public outcry.
Caning of men for such offences as rape, drug smuggling and staying illegally in the country is common. It is administered with a thick rattan stick on bare buttocks, causing severe pain and leaving scars.
Malaysia has a two-tier justice system. Shariah courts deal with personal matters for Muslims, who account for about two-thirds of the country’s 28 million people, while non-Muslims – many of whom are ethnic Chinese and Indians – go to civil courts.
Hat tip: Alan
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
February 20th, 2010 at 12:21 am
Think back to teen years or earlier.
When your dad beat you for ‘being bad’ did you look up and say ‘thank you as the beating gave you a chance to repent your sinful ways’.
NOT ME. Cuz I did not really do anything really BAD.
Only a grown woman programmed by years of religious brainwashing could say anything that silly; I would rather think she was scared spitless an didn’t dare say anything else, but I don’t think so.
I can’t wait until we get a BS theocracy in the USA…I’m collecting nice round throwing stones now in preparation for it… ;-}
February 20th, 2010 at 12:41 am
Their jailers who caned them say that they wanted to be caned. Right. No reason to doubt that at all.
February 20th, 2010 at 2:16 am
Now, this may be a rash generalization, but, my understanding is that in most Islamic states, that if a woman is raped, that she is executed because she did not scream loud enough. The guy is not sought for prosecution because the assumption is that he was seduced.
As I understand, caning is no fun. But, I would assume that it is preferable to having your spine chopped with a sword. I know this is obviously offensive to any freethinker, but this actually may represent a move into the future by these sand monkeys.
NeoWolfe
February 20th, 2010 at 4:24 am
Another reminder for “western, secular” countries that we MUST MUST MUST not let religious beliefs influence civil law.
February 20th, 2010 at 5:14 am
Corporal punishment is underrated, but it should be dished out to the parent rather than the child.
If I was a Malysian lady, frankly, I should move.
February 20th, 2010 at 5:42 am
Just goes to show really what all so called ‘authority’ be it religious or political boils down to, in a word violence. ‘Do what we say or we will hurt you.’
February 20th, 2010 at 9:11 am
It never ceases to amaze me how anti-human the Abrahamic superstitions are.
I recommend reading John R. Clarke’s Roman Sex” to remind yourself of what we lost.
(How the hell do I embed a link with the href tag? Never works for me.)
February 20th, 2010 at 9:43 am
I assume that if these women had not turned themselves in, then they would be stoned to death. I agree with CybrgnX, years of indoctrination have messed up these women’s brains; no sane person would say anything as daft.
February 20th, 2010 at 10:03 am
Pain causes different emotional responses in different people. I would hesitate to draw any conclusions based on one person’s response to the cane. Or even three.
No doubt the Malaysian authorities will be only too happy to draw such conclusions of course.
February 20th, 2010 at 10:10 am
I couldn’t and wouldn’t hit my wife, let alone allow another man do it. Don’t they feel anger when they have to look-on as someone close gets humiliated or harmed? Does that mean I can visit our local shop and give the owners’ wife a clip?
I don’t understand all this as I’m not a muzzie.
I wish they’d all go stand under a Moroccan minaret and pray for rain.
February 20th, 2010 at 11:08 am
Were my teachers muslims I wonder?
At junior school miscreants were given “The Dap”, and “Up the Comp” it was the cane.
Never did me any harm………….
February 20th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
I am not an expert on caning, well nearly one, but certainly a lot more experienced than most, and between consenting adults its fine, but to see these brainwashed victims lining up as if it is normal in front of a huge crowd at a place of worship, for corporal punishment for normal human behaviour – that is totally natural and even the way most are born, is twisted and perverse.
Something only religion could cause.
February 20th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
I think we have all misunderstood. This is their method of taking a stand against lax Western Values and replacing them with their superior values.
Charming!
February 20th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
I know I have sinned, and I have to be punished. Strangely however, I felt that the caning was not a form of punishment but was an opportunity for me to repent and return to the right path.
I for one can’t beleive those were ‘her’ words, more likely those sadistic bastards with their sticks.Of course we’ll never know and as for the Malayan ladies moving elsewhere, that’s not going to happen because the die has been cast and it’s not going to change in our lifetime.How bloody sad!
February 20th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
This truly is unbelievable. Public humiliation and physical torture for doing what Sigmund Freud established is the prime directive of our existence, to make babies. In our teens, we dream of “true love†and finding our soul mate. All of that is crap, it’s just our hormones driving us to do what nature intends. Young men, are whores, seeking to put their sperm in as many vaginas as they can. Young women are whores, seeking to find a secure environment in which to raise their babies. So, there we have it, the mating dance. We are all, on some level, gigolos and gold digger sluts. It’s not our fault, it’s what we were born to do.
But, before we go laughing at Islamic states, though they are quite laughable, keep in mind that the state of Washington has a law against sex between minors, punishable by prison. Some majority of pinheads thought they could legislate hormones. LMFAO!!!!
NeoWolfe
February 22nd, 2010 at 3:26 pm
“I know I have sinned, and I have to be punished.”
This just sounds like one big S&M club. What a bunch of perverts (apologies to legitimate S&M fans).
February 22nd, 2010 at 6:51 pm
@David McNerney
Quite alright old chap. No need to apologise.
July 24th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Stockholm Syndrome as a social norm. Thanks, theocrats.