Following the passing of a syariah bill that would allow public whipping in Kelantan, former information minister Zainuddin Maidin chided that Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz now has a new ‘tourist attraction’ to promote abroad.

He said although such punishments are also carried out in Brunei and Saudi Arabia, Malaysia is unique in the sense that the country is a democratic country, whereas Brunei and Saudi Arabia are absolute monarchies.

“This can become a new Malaysian tourism product for Nazri to sell overseas so that non-Muslims, particularly those from developed nations, can see ancient and barbaric punishments being carried out in the democratic and modern Malaysia […]...