KUALA TERENGGANU: The caning of two women who pleaded guilty of attempting to have same-sex relations should be seen as a form of education instead of a means to hurt or torture them.State exco chairman for Syariah implementation, education and higher education, Satiful Bahri Mamat said the sentence was also carried out with the intention of raising better understanding of caning under Islamic law.“We want to show the real picture in hopes that people do not make any speculation about the punishment as though the Syariah court is cruel,” he said at a press conference after the punishment was meted out on the two women on Monday.He said the women were given a chance to appeal their sentence but decided not to do so.“This reflects that they want to repent and we pray that they will be absolved of their sins,” he said.He also said the sentence served as a reminder to others to avoid committing zina (illicit sex).On Aug 12, the Syariah High Court fined the women RM3,300 and ordered that they be caned six times each after they pleaded guilty to committing musahaqah (sexual relations between women) under Section 30 of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment (Takzir) (Terengganu).The women were supposed to have been caned on Aug 28 but had their sentence postponed to today.The sentence drew the ire of many human rights groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).Suhakam in a statement on Aug 15 described the punishment as humiliating and demeaning.Amnesty International Malaysia has also called for the government to repeal laws that impose punishment on marginalised communities.