In a landmark decision, Malaysia scraps mandatory death penalty, natural-life prison terms
Malaysia's Parliament House
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 abolished 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.
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"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 Malaysian move to scrap death penalty comes amid an increase in the use of capital punishment by other Southeast Asian countries. Last year, Singapore executed11 individualsfor drug offences. In India's neighbourhood, themilitary-ruled Myanmar carried out its first death sentence in decades against four anti-military activists.
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The current amendments passed apply to 34 offences currently punishable by death, including murder and drug trafficking.
More than 1,300 people are facing the death penalty or imprisonment for natural life in Malaysia. They included allthose who have exhausted all other legal appeals. Such individuals in Malaysia can seek a sentencing review under the new rules.
(With inputs from agencies)
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