EILEEN NG
Associated Press Writer
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – A Muslim woman’s caning sentence for drinking beer has been commuted unexpectedly, ending a high-profile case that raised questions about Islamic laws intruding into personal matters in Malaysia.
“I have very mixed feelings. I was shocked because this was unexpected,” Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, a 33-year-old mother of two, told reporters Thursday after receiving the reprieve.
She received a letter Wednesday from the Pahang state Islamic department informing her that the state’s sultan had decided to spare her the caning and instead ordered her to do three weeks of community service. Kartika said she will start work at a children’s home on Friday.