Government plans to drop mandatory death sentence: Nancy

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KUALA LUMPUR: The government plans to submit a bill to drop the mandatory death sentence imposed on some serious crimes, especially in drug related offences and fire arms possession.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri said the bill, expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in March next year, would return the discretionary to judges to impose punishment on offenders.

“We have been meeting with quite a number of representatives from other parts of the world who have discussed and are trying to persuade us (to abolish the death penalty).

“The government is very keen to do whatever that we would like to do like the other countries but of course we do have our limitations.

“I have discussed with our Attorney-General and he is very supportive and I am aware it is difficult for Malaysia…but I hope we can get it done fast,” she said at the press conference after Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) Parliamentary Roundtable on the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Malaysia, here today.

The discussion was joined by members of parliament from Malaysia, Australia, Switzerland and United Kingdom; government representatives and experts to discuss implications of abolishing the mandatory death penalty for drug related offences and firearms possession in Malaysia in order to identify strategies and actions to move forward with.

Nancy who is the de facto Law Minister said the government will also look at other aspects because the problem faced by the judges now is they are tied down with the mandatory death sentence. -Bernama