Malaysia's 'whip-for-drinking-beer' model wants to focus on kids away from media glare

Kuntan (Malaysia), Apr. 3 (ANI): Former Malaysian model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor, whose whipping sentence for drinking beer in public has been converted into a community service one, wants to focus on bringing up her children away from the media glare.

The Star Online quoted Kartika, as saying that she wanted to get a job after her community service and focus on her children - one of whom was afflicted with cerebral palsy while the other had a heart condition.

Earlier, the Sultan of Penang had decided to spare the mother-of-two from the canning sentence and ordered her to perform community service for three weeks.

When asked about her sentence being commuted to community service, Kartika said: "It is a mixed feeling. However, I have to abide by the royal decree."

She began her three-week community service at the Tengku Ampuan Fatimah Children's Home at Alor Akar about 10 kilometres from here.

Kartika, who arrived here at 9.30am, was accompanied by her father Shukarnor Abdul Mutalib, an uncle and a sister.

He father was quoted as saying that Kartika was feeling stressed after being at the centre of the media attention for so long.

"However, we want this to be over and done with so that we can continue with our lives...Kartika is free to go anywhere she wants after 5 pm but she is advised to stay in the home for her own safety," he said.

Her lawyer Siti Razahah said that the department had no objection with her family's request for visitation rights by her children and family members.

On July 20, last year, the court ordered her to be caned six times and fined 5,000 after she was caught drinking at a hotel in Cherating on July 11, 2008. (ANI)