There was evidence that whipping has failed as a deterrent sentence, The Star quoted him as saying.

Kesavan, a prominent ethnic Indian lawyer, urged the government to reject whipping as a form of sentencing for any offence and to abolish it altogether.

He said Malaysian civil law prohibited the whipping of women, children and men of certain ages and those with certain health conditions.

However, a leader of the Malaysian Pan-Islamic Party (PAS), a constituent of the opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat that rules in five states, took a contrary view.

PAS Youth chief Nasruddin Hassan said the whipping should be carried out as requested by Kartika and her family members.

He added that any legal complication that could arise from the punishment should have been analysed earlier and the issue had exposed the weaknesses of the Syariah system.

Prime Minister Najib Razak earlier Tuesday urged Kartika to appeal the sentence, which has generated unwelcome headlines and jeopardised Malaysia's image as a moderate Muslim-majority nation.

Razak said Monday that corporal punishment should be the last resort in the enforcement of Syariah laws against women.

'Islam is a religion of compassion and mercy. It is not about corporal punishment. That is the last resort.

'That's how it should be practised. We must not go overboard,' he said at the national Women's Day celebration at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

On July 20, the Pahang Syariah High Court had fined Kartika and ordered her to be given six strokes of the cane after she pleaded guilty to drinking beer at a hotel in Cherating last year.