Caning sentence in Malaysia upheld...

Nothing like a higher court...

A Malaysian religious court appeals panel on Monday upheld a caning sentence for a woman who drank beer, despite criticism from groups worried about the rise of conservative Islam in the multi-racial Southeast Asian nation.

State news agency Bernama reported that the appeals panel in the state of Pahang, the home state of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia, had ruled the sentence would be carried out.

No date was set for carrying out the sentence, consisting of six strokes of the cane, Bernama said.