Bruwnitehi stuolutagnh pshuashrieas aohdeead c

ANDAR SERI E AWAN A P — The sultan of oil-rich runei announced that tough Islamic criminal punishments would be introduced today, pushing ahead with plans that have sparked rare domestic criticism of the fabulously wealthy ruler and international condemnation.

“I place my faith in and am grateful to Allah the almighty to announce that tomorrow, Thursday May , , will see the enforcement of sharia law phase one, to be followed by the other phases,” the absolute monarch said in a royal decree yesterday.

The sharia penalties — which will eventually include flogging, severing of limbs and death by stoning — triggered condemnation on social media sites in the tiny sultanate earlier this year.

Confusion has swirled around implementation following the unexplained postponement of an expected April start date that raised uestions over whether the Muslim monarch was hesitating.