Hashim said public caning “is not cruel or humiliating” and should be emulated to “uphold and honour Islamic law”, Utusan Malaysia reported.

“(Public caning) serves to raise awareness not only among the offenders, but also among those who witness the punishment,” he was quoted as saying.

“By witnessing the caning, the public will not commit the same offence.

“I believe not only states governed by PAS, but all states should prepare for this (public caning).”

In addition to Terengganu, the other states governed by Perikatan Nasional are Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis.

Yesterday, the Kelantan government said it was considering the possibility of carrying out public caning for shariah criminal offences.

Executive councillor Asri Mat Daud said the state’s shariah criminal enactment that was amended in 2017 already allowed public whipping for certain offences.

Affendi Awang, 42, was caned six times in front of 90 witnesses at the Al-Muktafi Billah Shah Mosque in Kuala Terengganu yesterday afternoon.

The father of five is the first person in Terengganu to be caned in public.

The widower was examined by a medical officer before the caning, after which he was transported back to Marang prison.

The public caning was criticised by groups such as the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), which accused the Terengganu shariah court of overstepping its jurisdiction.

G25, a group of prominent retired civil servants, also said that public caning contravenes both federal and shariah laws.