Malaysia's 'whip-for-drinking-beer' model a free woman now

Kuntan (Malaysia), Apr 23(ANI): Former Malaysian model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, whose caning sentence for drinking beer in public had been converted into a community service one, is now a free woman.

She completed her three-week community service at the Tengku Ampuan Fatimah Children's Home at Alor Akar about 10 kilometres from here, and was released on Thursday, The Star reports.

Kartika, a mother of two, was sentenced by the Kuantan Syariah Court in July last year to six strokes of the rotan and a fine of RM5,000 for drinking beer in December 2007 at a hotel.

Her case had attracted both local and international attention, following which the Sultan of Panang, Sultan Ahmad Shah, used his discretion to spare the mother-of-two from the canning sentence.

Kartika had earlier said 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. (ANI)