Malaysia puts an end to mandatory death penalty for 11 serious crimes

In a landmark move hailed by a number of rights groups, the Malaysian parliament on Monday voted to remove the country’s mandatory capital punishment, potentially going easy on roughly 1,341 prisoners on death row.

Although Malaysia has had a moratorium on executions for over four years now, lawmakers recently voted in large numbers to remove capital punishment as the mandatory sentence for 11 serious offences, including terrorism and murder.

Judges will retain discretion to impose the death penalty in exceptional cases. But the courts will now hand down life imprisonment sentences of up to 40 years for the most serious crimes or corporal punishment like caning, lawmakers informed.

Nevertheless, albeit the landmark reforms still need to pass Malaysia’s upper house, they are widely expected to. The capital punishment didn’t bring the results it was intended to, the country’s Deputy Law Minister Ramkarpal Singh said on Monday.

Keep Reading

34 crimes in Malaysia are punishable by death, 11 of which before the reforms used to carry the mandatory capital punishment. But now after the new laws get enacted, prisoners on death row will be given 90 days to seek a review of their sentences.

There are more than 1,300 such prisoners in Malaysia right now, and according to an Amnesty International assessment, over 60% of them had received the mandatory death penalty. Human Rights Watch says it expects the reform to influence similar situations in neighbouring countries.

While Singapore executed 11 people last year for drug trafficking offences, the military government in Myanmar also executed four pro-democracy activists. More than 1,300 prisoners were hanged in Malaysia between 1992 and 2023, official data reveals.

Although the legislative process to overturn capital punishment started last June, the death penalty’s abolishment has been part of heated debates in Malaysia for more than a decade now. Rights groups have hailed the latest development as a major step forward for the country.

AP Journalist

Keeping all readers updated about the recent developments in the Asia Pacific region. I am an avid reader and an inquisitive mind. Follow for all that’s new in the region.

Recent Posts

Can Ukraine Join NATO? Zelenskiy Pushes for Global Stability Through Alliance

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that membership of Ukraine in NATO is "achievable" goal but this will require persistent effort… Read More

December 22, 2024

UAE-Funded Orphanage Opens in Ethiopia, Transforming Lives in Oromia

Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed recently inaugurated a state-of-the-art orphanage in Oromia. This orphanage is built with the support… Read More

December 21, 2024

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Drone Strikes Cause Disruptions in Kazan, No Casualties

The airport in the Russian city of Kazan reopened on Saturday. This airport reopened on Saturday after a temporary closure… Read More

December 21, 2024

George Eastham, England’s 1966 World Cup Winner, Passes Away at 88

England's 1966 World Cup Winner, George Eastham has passed on aged 88 years. Blackpool-born forward, who played 19 times for… Read More

December 21, 2024

What Barack Obama Loved in 2024: Books, Movies, and Songs to Explore

As we are at the end of December 2024 and ready to start a new year 2025, this time the… Read More

December 21, 2024

Curry’s Tough Game and Another 140+ Point Loss

Stephen Curry had no clear explanation for his rough performance in the Golden State Warriors' 144-93 loss to the Memphis… Read More

December 20, 2024

This website uses cookies.

Read More