KELANTAN’s move to allow shariah caning in public resonates with urban Muslims in Shah Alam, the capital of Malaysia’s richest state Selangor, whose Muslim-majority population mirrors Kota Baru’s. Some even think the rest of the country should follow suit.

Interviews with Shah Alam residents found that several welcomed the Kelantan assembly’s passing of amendments to the state’s shariah Criminal Procedure Enactment 2002 (Amendment 2017) Bill on July 11 to allow for caning outside prison walls.