Issue 30, Remnants

Silence and the Model Sentenced to Caning for Drinking a Beer

by Cindy Childress • 07.21.2009
saudi-woman
Most South East Asian newspapers are carrying the story today about the 32 year old Muslim model, Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, who’s been sentenced to six lashes by cane and a 5,000 ringgit fine, or three years in prison for the offense of drinking a beer in Pahang, Malaysia.  The newspapers, both local and international, have not commented on the facts, except to remind readers that Sharia law does not apply to non-Muslims in Malaysia and that in fact the Chinese, Indians, and Westerners are at liberty to imbibe.  Bloggers have been playing it safe with commentary as well, only noting that this is still better than Iran’s handling of the same offense, or making ironic references to Malaysia’s status as a moderate Islamic state.

This is one of very few alcohol cases that has come to trial, and I have no doubt that she’s being made an example of because of her status.  My husband’s got Muslim co-workers who drink alcohol with no thought of the Sharia police.  They do exist, though, and this case is a chance for them and the Sharia High Court to flex their muscles.  I don’t think that Westerners really understand this court or how it works, and if they did then I think they’d be a bit more concerned about this other story about the prevalence of Sharia courts running in Britain at this very moment.  I’ve got no problems with Islam as a faith, but the Islamic courts are not congruent with democracy.  Nobody has a problem saying that when we are talking about the imprudent rulings against women we see out of Iran and Saudi Arabia, but the unpleasant, intolerant, un-politically correct truth is that there’s no place for ancient, inhumane judgements (even when they don’t result in death) in the free world.    In countries where Sharia law is practiced it is illegal to leave the Muslim religion, so if you are born into it, then you are stuck with its binding laws even if you move to Singapore and have a success modeling career.

Kartika’s infraction took place in a rural part of the country, and it’s most likely true that if she’d drank her beer in Kuala Lumpur she would have gone unnoticed, but it’s also true that she broke the law, was caught, is getting the letter of the law, and her countrymen aren’t supporting her at least publicly.  We’d do well to take note.
Cindy Childress

Cindy Childress

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Cindy Childress has a Ph. D. in English with creative dissertation from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and is an expat writer and Associate Editor of The KL American living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her poems have been published in many online and print journals and anthologies, including for 2009 Aunt Chloe, Hit and Run Magazine, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, Conversation Poetry Quarterly, Information Age Press’s Empowering Women through Literacy: Voices From Experience, Two Handed Press’s Summer Compilation, Spinster’s Ink Press’s Women. Period, and forthcoming issues of Mannequin Envy and The Awakenings Review. She has also contributed work for collaborative drama productions, most recently The Patriot Acts II and No Teacher Left Standing with the Acting Up theater troop of Acadiana.


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