Nazri hopes for leniency for detained M'sian couple in Sweden

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said he hoped the Swedish authorities would treat the Tourism Malaysia staff and his wife in an appropriate manner. He said the couple's detention in Stockholm may have been due to differences in culture as each country has its own laws and methods of bringing up children. "In Malaysia it's common to scold or cane our children a little now and then but the laws in Sweden are different. "So I hope the authorities in Sweden show some leniency to the couple as they had no intention to harm their children," he said after the 2014 Asean Green Hotel awards here in conjunction with the 2014 Asean Tourism Forum. Azizul Raheem Awalludin, a Tourism Malaysia officer in Stockholm and his wife, Shalwati Norshal, a teacher on unpaid leave, were detained by the Swedish authorities on Dec 18 for allegedly beating them for not praying. Their remand has been extended for a further two weeks.