Malaysia renews pledge to abolish mandatory death penalty

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has agreed to abolish the mandatory death sentence and replace it with other punishments at the discretion of the court, its law minister said on Friday, revisiting a pledge made over three years ago. The cabinet also agreed to study substitute sentences for all offenses carrying the death penalty, Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said.
Malaysia has had a moratorium on executions since 2018, when it also made a promise to abolish mandatory and discretionary capital punishment. But the government backtracked in 2019, saying it would scrap mandatory capital punishment but leave it for courts to decide if a person convicted of a serious crime should hang. Wan Junaidi said the decision followed a recommendation by a government committee reviewing alternative punishments, but not did provide a timeframe for when it would initiate processes to changes the laws. “The decision shows the government’s priority in ensuring the rights of all parties are protected and secure, and reflects the transparency of the national leadership in improving the country’s dynamic criminal justice system,” he said in a statement.
Agencies