'I did not delay Kartika's caning'

2009/11/09

ROMPIN: Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has denied issuing an order to delay the punishment on part-time model Kartika Sari Shukarnor, as decided by the Kuantan Syariah High Court on July 20.

Gani said he did not give such an order to the state Islamic Religious Department as the sentencing came under the jurisdiction of the syariah court.

He said he respected the syariah court's decision.

"You can go ahead and ask the syariah court judge if I had given such an order.

"No such thing. It's not me. Who am I to interfere and delay the punishment?

"In fact, I myself had ordered my officers not to postpone any cases," Gani said, when asked about the rotan punishment on Kartika, 32.

She was fined RM5,000 and ordered to be given six strokes of the rotan by the Syariah High Court after she pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in Cherating in July last year.

Gani said this after opening a community service programme of the syariah section of the A-G's Chambers yesterday.

Gani said he believed everyone wanted the issue to be resolved soon.

"The syariah court must have reasons to delay the punishment, but what is more important here is that everyone should understand that justice hurried is justice buried.

"No matter what, they should respect the decision made by the court."

In Kartika's case, he said, the A-G's Chambers could not interfere with the decision made by the Kuantan Syariah High Court.

Gani also quashed claims by certain quarters that the syariah court was a second-class court.