We should all respect and recognise Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno for her courage and determination in wanting to be caned. However, whipping, in my opinion, is unacceptable whether it is the Penal Code or under the Syariah law.

Yes, whipping under Syariah is theoretically much milder compared to how it is administered under the Penal system. There are enough precedents and examples of how whipping is to be administered under the Syariah law in many different Muslim countries.

But my question is whether justice is truly served amidst the inconsistencies of this system. This sort of punishment and other forms of corporal punishment has failed as deterrents, besides being cruel, inhumane, degrading and humiliating.

It may have worked in the past but what we must recognise and acknowledge is that it doesn't work in these times. We should live in the past.

Let's be honest with ourselves, when it comes to "crimes of morality", women are often the target, particularly when it comes to "immoral behaviour" which can extend from not wearing a tudung to being in close proximity with a person of the opposite sex who is not your spouse to, yes, drinking beer.

Some examples: In Iran, according to Article 102 of their constitution, "Women who appear on the streets and in public without the prescribed ‘Islamic Hijab' will be condemned to 74 strokes of the lash"; in Saudi Arabia, women appearing in public without a male guardian can be whipped; and in the Aceh province of Indonesia, men and women out in public together and women violating the dress code are vulnerable to whipping by religious vigilantes.

So when our sisters and brothers from groups like JAG and Sisters in Islam express concern that this sort of sentencing is biased to women, it is not without reason.

Our advocates of the Malaysian Syariah system have never been shy to take inspiration from the abovementioned countries and we could very well be taking the first steps down a path which takes us away from becoming better Muslims.

We should live Islam and not just try to show we practice it by victimising women. As such, just because it is law doesn't mean that the law is right and infallible. Laws can and should be amended to reflect our better understanding and maturity.

Who are we to be so vindictive and judgemental? This display of vindictiveness and eagerness to punish does a disservice to Islam and its jurisprudence that has always stressed on gender equality, dignity, justice, compassion, forgiveness and mercy.

Finally, whipping is also a serious violation of International Human Rights Law. Whipping violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Convention of Civil and Political Rights (1966), and the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984).

Sure, we may say that these are the instruments of the West, feminists, and liberals and that we shouldn't follow them.

But we should all ask ourselves these few questions: Does condoning the whipping of another Muslim woman or man make us a better person? Are we better Muslims because of it? Or do we lose our bit of compassion and humanity with each stroke of the rotan?

The terms, whipping, flogging, canning, lashing, have now become part of the reference to Malaysia and I'm not sure that it is the way I want to remember this year's Ramadan and Independence Day.