AMNESTY International recently reported that more nations are abolishing the death penalty and are conducting fewer executions, but extreme practices and widespread secrecy exist in outlier nations like Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Vietnam and North Korea.
Following global trends, the Malaysian government has agreed to abolish the mandatory penalty, leaving sentencing at the discretion of the courts. Meanwhile, a moratorium has been placed on all death sentences.
A bill to amend seven separate laws that carry the mandatory death penalty was tabled in Parliament on October 6, and is awaiting a second reading before it can be passed.
The death penalty currently applies to 33 offences, 11 of which are mandatory where judges have no option but to impose a death sentence if the accused is found guilty.
Abolitionists argue on the grounds of human rights violation, the irreversibility of the sentence if one is later found innocent, and whether it really has a deterrent effect.
On the other hand, retentionists speak out for victims of crime, for public safety, and the need for resources and tools to support practical enforcement of law and order.
This month on Breaking Down the Issues (BDI), we spoke to Tun Zaki Azmi, former chief justice of Malaysia, for his views on the death penalty and the deliberations on reaching the verdict in a capital punishment case.
Representing NGO Protect Malaysia is its founder, lawyer Christina Teng, who spoke on behalf of victims of crime, and on the need for resources and tools to support the enforcement and judicial systems.
Unexposed and in the comfort of our homes, many of us are clueless about the extremes of greed and evil. With so much at stake, perhaps what is required are expert studies to see if the death penalty acts as a deterrent and causes a reduction of heinous crimes in Malaysia.
The debate on the death penalty is vast, with so many offences at issue and the same amount of bills to review.
This BDI episode captures the views on mandatory and discretionary death sentences in the Malaysian context.
It is brought to you by advocacy and research group Sekhar Institute, with the Good Capitalism Forum which promotes social capitalism, and Malaysia’s online news portal The Vibes. – The Vibes, December 4, 2022
