A religious school cook in Malaysia plans to appeal after being sentenced to a one-year jail term and six strokes of the cane for drinking alcohol in public, his father said today.

Mohamad Sabri Zulkepli, 24, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to drinking alcohol at a shopping mall in Pahang in February.

"My son intends to appeal the decision. We are helping him to engage a lawyer," his father, who only wanted to be identified as Zulkepli, told AFP .

The cook's case is the latest in a series of harsh punishments by Malaysia's Islamic courts, which run in parallel with civil courts.

Zulkepli said that Mohamad Sabri had initially entered a plea of not guilty to the charge but then changed it because he thought he would only receive a light punishment.

"My son changed his plea because he thought he would get off with a fine and caning. We did not think he would end up being jailed for a year," he said.

No option for fine

High Court judge Abdul Rahman Mohamad Yunos had refused Mohammad Sabri's offer to pay a fine.

"Since you are a bachelor, a more appropriate sentence is imprisonment as you can repent after you are given proper guidance in the prison," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper on Thursday.

A Muslim model was sentenced last year to six lashes and a fine for drinking alcohol. The punishment triggered outrage among local and international rights groups.

Her sentence was commuted by the state ruler earlier this month. She is now carrying out community service at a children's home. However, three other women were caned in February for having sex out of wedlock.

The cases have fuelled debate over rising "Islamisation" of the multi-ethnic nation.

Alcohol is widely available in Malaysia but is forbidden for Muslim Malays, who make up 60 percent of the 28 million population. They can be fined, caned, or jailed for up to three years.

- AFP