KARAI, Malaysia — Islamic officials took custody today of a Muslim model scheduled to be caned this week for drinking beer, the first woman in Malaysia to be given the punishment for violating religious laws.
Two female officials and one male official came to the house of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno in northern Malaysia and took her away in a van on a four-hour road journey to a prison near Kuala Lumpur, the country's main city.
Officials have said she will be caned sometime during the week, but no specific date has been set.
Kartika, 32, is to become the first Malaysian woman to be caned in Malaysia. She was arrested in a raid for drinking beer at a hotel lounge last year for breaching the Muslim-majority country's Shariah law, which forbids Muslims to consume alcohol.
She was sentenced by a Shariah court in July in what was considered a warning to other Muslims to abide by religious laws. Kartika did not appeal and said she is willing to be caned.
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Kartika emerged from her house and walked past a group of about 50 local Muslims who said prayers for her. After a last kiss with her 5-year-old daughter, she got into the silver van along with her sister and the Islamic officials.
In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Kartika had said she wants to be caned because "I want to respect the law."
The law provides for a three-year prison term and caning for Muslims caught drinking, but most offenders are fined. Drinking is legal for non-Muslims.
Islamic authorities say the purpose of the caning is to educate rather than punish.
