MP welcomes govt plan to abolish death penalty

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Nancy (left) speaks to those attending the Nov 17 PGA Parliamentary Roundtable meeting.

Nancy (left) speaks to those attending the Nov 17 PGA Parliamentary Roundtable meeting.

KUCHING: Stampin MP Julian Tan Kok Ping welcomes the government’s proposed move to abolish the mandatory death sentence especially for drug-related offences.

He said he was glad the government was moving in the right direction to have the law amended.

“This issue affects us Sarawakians as highlighted by the case of Kho Jabing a Sarawakian who is on death row in Singapore. With the removal of the mandatory death sentence for drug-related offences, it gives more powers and discretion to the courts to decide on case-to-case basis.

“Death penalty is also an irreversible form of punishment and it runs the risk of sending an innocent man to his death,” said Tan through a press statement yesterday.

He said he and few others met with the family of Kho Jabing and heard of their plight.

“Together with the family, we met Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri who told the family that the state government has conveyed a humanitarian plea to the Singapore High Commission.”

The PGA Parliamentary Roundtable meeting on the Abolition of the Death Penalty is Malaysia was held in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 17.

Tan, who also attended the meeting chaired by Minister of Tourism and Culture Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said: “The mandatory death penalty currently is imposed for five main offences in Malaysia including murder, offences against the King and Heads of States, Trafficking of Dangerous Drugs, Discharging of Firearms and Accomplice in case of Discharge of Firearms,”

Apart from Nancy, those attending the meeting were several other MPs from both sides of the house as well as MPs and High Commissioner from multiple countries, ex-court judges, the Bar Council and members of various NGOs.