Saturday, June 27, 2009

Justice Bao (包青天) in Malaysia's Modern Justice System


KUALA LUMPUR: In a rare court ruling, a sales promoter who admitted to armed robbery was ordered to be caned 10 times in the court premises. And the judge himself will do the caning.
Sessions Court judge Zainal Abidin Kamarudin ordered Muhammad Syafiq Abd Wahab, 20, to be caned in the presence of his parents.
The judge said he would personally cane Muhammad Syafiq on July 15 using canes supplied by the court.
Zainal Abidin said 10 light canes (rotan) were to be used to carry out the sentence as provided for under the Criminal Procedure Code for youthful offenders.
He also ordered Muhammad Syafiq to carry out 200 hours of community service.
Turning to the parents, the judge told the father, pensioner Abd Wahab Jonit, 64, that the offence was rarely passed by court but urged him to accept it.
“I know it is not a nice feeling for a father to watch his son being caned but it has to be done by a judge,” he said.
Zainal Abidin then urged Muhammad Syafiq to seek forgiveness from his father.
The youth, though, merely stared at the judge.


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