Human Rights activists told caning is Allah's Will.

By Gina Fazio

Recent women's activists and human rights organizations protesting the Syariah court ruling in July to cane Katrika Sari, a Malaysian model for drinking beer, have been told by Islamic groups in Malaysia to retract statements condemning the Syariah court's decision.

These fourteen groups have urged the Sisters in Islam and the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality to also apologize to the Muslim community for insulting the islamic legal structure.

Amidi Abdul Manan, spokeperson for the Muslim Youth Movement in Malaysia which is one of the groups opposing the comments of the human rights groups urged the "Government to be strict with any parties who challenged the sanctity of Islam as a religion and Syariah laws".

It is because of comments like this that human rights groups in Malaysia spoke out in the first place after the Malaysian government's efforts to portray Malaysia as a "moderate Islamic nation".