Three women and four men were caned in Malaysia for having sex out of wedlock, say the Wall Street Journal. But it's OK, because the home minister has a great justification for the ridiculous punishment.

Hishammuddin Hussein said, at a press conference, that "the punishment is to teach and give a chance to those who have fallen off the path to return and build a better life in the future." He added that the offenders were "advised on ways to repent and to get closer to Allah."

A Sharia court also sentenced 32-year-old lady Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno to be caned for drinking beer in a hotel bar. Her punishment is still pending. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has said he "won't let Malaysia drift toward becoming an Islamist state." Dude. Too late.