Kartika (right) and her sister make their way to a local stall. - Picture by Jack Ooi
Shukarno said that while he and Kartika respected the decision of the Pahang Sultan, they also felt as if there were “ulterior motives” involved in the decision to change the punishment.
“Do not get me wrong, this was the Sultan’s prerogative and it was decided that her sentence is switched to community service. We respect it, we really do. I cannot directly tell you exactly what I mean by saying this but we feel that there was some insincerity or some kind of ulterior motive involved here,” he told The Malaysian Insider by telephone.
Part-time model Kartika was sentenced to six strokes of the rotan and fined RM5,000 for consuming alcohol at Cherating beach on July 11, 2008, but her sentence was delayed from last August and today commuted by the Pahang Sultan at the last minute.
Instead, the 33-year-old mother will have to perform three weeks of community service.
Shukarno complains that the Pahang religious authorities do not respect him or his daughter. - Picture by Jack Ooi
He complained that the religious authorities had no respect for him or his daughter, and this was reflected in how they handled the situation.
“They told us that Kartika must report to the Pahang Religious Department in Kuantan by 9am sharp tomorrow, not a minute later than that.
“I tried to arrange for them to pick her up from Kuala Lumpur but they refused. And then I tried to negotiate with them to pick her up from the Perak border but again, they refused. I again tried to ask them to get her from the Pahang border of Cameron Highlands but they refused again,” he said.
Shukarno added that he had plenty of work to do in Ipoh tomorrow.
“But now I have no choice because they are so unwilling to cooperate. I will drive her to Kuantan later this evening,” he said, adding that he and Kartika would be travelling with Kartika’s sister and his cousin.
“I just did not like how they spoke to me... they said by hook or by crook, I must be there by 9am. They are expecting me to ‘punch-card’ with them, like I am some kind of government servant to them,” he said.
Shukarno added that although it was good that his daughter no longer faced a caning sentence, the prospect of having to perform a three-week community service was not very relieving.
“The caning would be over in a few days while this is 21 days of punishment. So you tell me, is this really a good thing?” he said.
Meanwhile it was reported that Kartini prefers caning rather than community service.
MORE TO COME
courtesy of Malaysian Insider
“They told us that Kartika must report to the Pahang Religious Department in Kuantan by 9am sharp tomorrow, not a minute later than that.
“I tried to arrange for them to pick her up from Kuala Lumpur but they refused. And then I tried to negotiate with them to pick her up from the Perak border but again, they refused. I again tried to ask them to get her from the Pahang border of Cameron Highlands but they refused again,” he said.
Shukarno added that he had plenty of work to do in Ipoh tomorrow.
“But now I have no choice because they are so unwilling to cooperate. I will drive her to Kuantan later this evening,” he said, adding that he and Kartika would be travelling with Kartika’s sister and his cousin.
“I just did not like how they spoke to me... they said by hook or by crook, I must be there by 9am. They are expecting me to ‘punch-card’ with them, like I am some kind of government servant to them,” he said.
Shukarno added that although it was good that his daughter no longer faced a caning sentence, the prospect of having to perform a three-week community service was not very relieving.
“The caning would be over in a few days while this is 21 days of punishment. So you tell me, is this really a good thing?” he said.
Meanwhile it was reported that Kartini prefers caning rather than community service.
MORE TO COME
courtesy of Malaysian Insider
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