Beer-drinking Malaysian Muslim model avoids caning

Shukarno Mutalib said the sultan of the central Malaysian state of Pahang, where his daughter, Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 33, was caught drinking in a hotel bar, had decided to commute the sentence.

Kartika, a part-time model and mother-of-two, had an audience with the Pahang royals in March to discuss her case.

"The sultan has decided that the caning sentence will be substituted with a three-week community service at a children's home in Pahang from April 2," Shukarno told reporters.

Shukarno said he would hand his daughter over to the religious authorities in Pahang on Friday.

"Kartika was expecting a caning, she is surprised by this development as she will be separated from her children for three weeks, but we respect the sultan's decision," Shukarno said.