No More Mandatory Death Penalty In Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 (Bernama) -- There will be no more mandatory death penalty and life imprisonment in Malaysia from Tuesday (July 4) as the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023 (Act 846) comes into force.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh in a statement said the repeal aims to respect the right of every individual to live in this country and ensure justice for all parties.

"The basic principle that the Government wants to emphasise behind every sentence in Malaysia is the rehabilitation of prisoners so that they can return to society and become individuals who serve the family, the community and the country after completing their sentence.

"According to subsection 1(2) of Act 846, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said has set July 4, 2023, as the date this Act comes into force. Therefore, there will be no more mandatory death sentences and imprisonment from this date," he said.

The Act was gazetted on June 16, 2023.

Commenting on the Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Bill 2023, Ramkarpal said it had received Royal Assent on June 9, however, it had not yet come into force.

According to Ramkarpal, applications for the review of the death sentence or life imprisonment under Act 847 can only be filed once there is a determination of the effective date of Act 847 by Azalina through a notification in the Federal Government Gazette later.

"The Government through the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department has held several meetings since May 2023 involving the Attorney General's Chambers, the Prisons Department, the Ministry of Health, the Malaysian Bar Council, the National Legal Aid Foundation and the Office of the Chief Registrar Federal Court of Malaysia.

"The meetings are to discuss the mechanism and guidelines for the implementation of the review of the death penalty and life imprisonment. Details regarding the mechanism and guidelines will be communicated in the near future," he said, adding the law reform was also an initial step in transforming the criminal justice system in Malaysia.

According to him, more revisions and reforms would be implemented in line with the commitment of the Unity Government to creating a more progressive and relevant legal system under the Malaysia MADANI framework.

-- BERNAMA