New Delhi: Malaysia's parliament has passed a bill to introduce significant reforms that would eliminate mandatory death penalties for several severe crimes. This move brings a ray of hope for over 1,300 death row prisoners, who may receive possible reprieves under the new legislation.
Under current laws, courts must impose hanging as punishment for 11 serious crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, treason, kidnapping, and acts of terror. However, the new bill offers courts the option to choose jail sentences between 30 to 40 years and caning as an alternative punishment, deputy law minister Ramkarpal Singh said, as per AP.
Furthermore, natural life imprisonment, which previously meant a life sentence without the possibility of parole or release, will now be replaced with jail terms of 30 to 40 years. According to Ramkarpal Singh, these new provisions will bring significant changes to Malaysia's criminal justice system.
“A review of this sentence reflects the government’s commitment to always be open to renewing and improving legislation and justice in this country,” AP quoted Singh as saying.
He said 1,318 people are on death row, including 842 who have exhausted all avenues of appeals. Most cases are linked to drug trafficking. Foreigners account for more than 500 of those on death row, AP reported citing Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN).
Singh stated that after the bill comes into effect, prisoners will have a window of 90 days to file a review of their sentences, but not their convictions. He emphasized that courts still have the power to uphold a death penalty after review.
The bill has yet to go to the upper house and the king but it is expected to become law.
Malaysia has had a moratorium on hanging since 2018. The government also proposed last year to abolish mandatory death penalties, but the move was scuppered after parliament was dissolved for a general election.
“Essentially, we have now narrowed down our death penalty to only three main groups of offences: murder, drug trafficking and treason,” said Dobby Chew of ADPAN. “This is a good first step forward. It brings Malaysia closer in line with international standards for those countries that retain the death penalty.”