Malaysian Parliament To Debate Bill On Abolition Of Mandatory Death Penalty - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th March, 2023) The Malaysian parliament will start proceedings on a draft law on the abolition of mandatory death penalty, which, if adopted, will allow more than 1,300 people to appeal their death sentences, Malaysian media reported.

Mandatory death penalty is the highest penalty in Malaysia, which is provided for by law for a number of crimes. In these cases, the execution is carried out regardless of whether such a measure is considered fair by the judge pronouncing the sentence.

"The abolition of the mandatory death sentence is aimed at valuing the sanctity of life of every individual," lawmaker and cabinet member Azalina Othman Said, who submitted the bill on Monday, said, the Star newspaper reported.

She noted that the initiative's goal also was to ensure justice for all sides, including murder victims, victims of drug trafficking, as well as their families, the news outlet reported.

According to the bill's text circulated in the parliament, mandatory death penalty is to be replaced with life imprisonment for a term of 30 to 40 years, including beating with a stick, from six to twelve strikes, depending on the severity of the crime, the media reported. However, the death penalty can still be imposed at the discretion of the court.

A decision on the bill is expected to be made by April 4, according to the report. If the bill passes, more than 1,300 people currently on death row will be able to begin seeking a review of their sentence in the Federal court, the news outlet reported.

Malaysia currently has a mandatory death penalty for 11 crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, terrorism, kidnapping and possession of firearms. In June 2022, the Malaysian government announced its intention to abolish this penalty in line with its international obligations.