The Pahang Islamic Religious Department (JAIP) is prepared to proceed with the caning of part-time model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor, 32, after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

JAIP director Abdul Manan Abdul Rahman said the implementation of the punishment, however, depended on the review by the Kuantan Syariah High Court Appeals Panel which was expected to be concluded after the Hari Raya.

He said the decision on the review would be announced personally by the Pahang Syarie chief judge Abdul Hamid Abdul Rahman.

NONE On July 20, Kartika Sari Dewi was fined RM5,000 and ordered to receive six strokes of the cane by the Syariah High Court here after pleading guilty to consuming alcohol at a hotel at 11.40 pm on July 11, 2008.

However, on Aug 24, the sentence had to be postponed out of respect for the month of Ramadhan and the decision was criticised by various quarters.

"Society does not understand the difference between the syariah caning which aims to educate the offender, and the civil caning which is most painful to the offender, and in the case of Kartika, she is being punished with the syariah caning," he told reporters after officiating a programme today.

- Bernama