Moslems seen eating during Ramadan to have names read over radio

The move was the latest effort by the Kedah religious authority to deter recalcitrant Moslems from blatantly eating in public during daylight in the month of Ramadan, when all Moslems have to fast from sunrise to sunset.

Kedah's Islamic committee chairman Fadzil Hanafi said previous penalties, such as fining the offenders in court or driving them around in a hearse, had failed to embarrass them. He said several Moslems have been caught in the state for eating during fasting hours since Ramadan began ten days ago.

Fadzil told the Malaysian national news agency, Bernama, that he would personally read out the names of the culprits over local radio. In Islam, all able Moslems are required during Ramadan to abstain from food, water, sex and vices such as smoking during daylight.

Slightly over half of Malaysia's 23 million people are Moslem Malay, and Islamic squads conduct daily checks to nab Moslems eating in public. Offenders are fined 500 ringgit (131 dollars) for the first offence, with the fines increasing for subsequent offences.

(la/dpa)