MALAYSIA ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY, NATURAL-LIFE PRISON TERMS

Mon 03 Apr 2023:

In a landmark decision, the Malaysian parliament on Monday (April 3) approved legal reforms to remove the mandatory death penalty. In the sweeping legal reforms that were passed, the parliament also cut down the number of offences punishable by death and abolish natural-life prison sentences.

The amendments that were passed will now provide alternatives to the death penalty including whipping and imprisonment of between 30 to 40 years, news agency Reuters reported. All previous provisions that call for imprisonment for the duration of the offender’s natural life will be replaced.

The country has had a moratorium on executions since 2018.

The agency report also mentioned that life imprisonment sentences, which were defined by Malaysian law as a fixed term of 30 years, will be retained.

Deputy law minister Ramkarpal Singh said capital punishment was an irreversible punishment that had not been an effective deterrent for crime.

“The death penalty has not brought the results it was intended to bring,” he said while wrapping up the parliamentary debates on the bill.

The legislation passed in Malaysia as some of its Southeast Asian neighbours have stepped up their use of capital punishment.

Last year, Singapore executed 11 people for drug offences, government data showed, while Myanmar carried out its first death sentences in decades against four pro-democracy activists.

Under the amendments passed on Monday, alternatives to the death penalty would include whipping and imprisonment for 30 to 40 years.

more to follow…

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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