'Now that it's Ramadan, it's never lonely at home. People come with kind words for Kartika, as her child is also sick. There are those who bring food and come to break fast with us.'

Shukarno also said the media hype had brought members of many Muslim non-governmental organisations, such as Sisters In Islam, to his doorstep.

'This shows that not all Islam-based NGOs are lobbying for Kartika to be caned. Some want her to undergo religious classes....'

Malaysia has no precedence of a woman being caned.

Kartika was to have been detained at the prison last Monday so that the caning could be carried out. But minutes after she was picked up, she was released.

Pahang Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohammed Sahfri Abdul Razak had then said that the sentence would be carried out after Ramadan.

However, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and others have others appealed for a review of the case.

Malaysia is a multi-religious society of 28 million people with Muslims in majority and has significant Chinese and Indian minorities.