COMMENT | On Nov 20, the Kuala Terengganu Syariah High Court handed down the sentence of six lashes in public for repeated offences of khalwat (close proximity) against carpenter Mohd Affendi Awang.

The sentence was meted out after Affendi pleaded guilty to repeated khalwat offences under Section 31 (a) of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) (Terengganu) Enactment Amendment 2022.

The punishment has, however, solicited knee-jerk reactions from many as it will be carried out publicly at Masjid Al-Muktafi Billah Shah in Kuala Terengganu.