KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Government has agreed to abolish the mandatory death penalty.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar today said the government decided to substitute the mandatory provision with other types of punishment subject to the discretion of the Courts.
Wan Junaidi said the decision on the matter was reached when he presented a report on substitute sentences for the mandatory death penalty at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (June 8).
"The government in principle took note and accepted the recommendations made by the Substitute Sentences for the Mandatory Death Penalty Task Force in their report," said Wan Junaidi in a statement today.
The Cabinet, said Wan Junaidi, had also agreed for a further study to be carried out on the proposal to substitute sentences for 11 offences carrying the mandatory death penalty including one under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 as well as 22 other offences that also carry the death penalty, but at the discretion of the Courts.
"Further studies will be carried out with the cooperation from the Attorney General Chambers, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department as well as other ministries or departments.
"Such action is very significant to ensure amendments to the related legislations take into consideration proportionality and the constitutionality of such principles," he said.
Wan Junaidi added that the government will also carry out a study on the feasibility of the direction of the country's criminal justice system, the establishment of pre-sentencing procedures, the forming of a Sentencing Council, the development of Sentencing Guidelines, the establishment of a Law Commission, prison reforms, and the execution of sentences based on restorative justice.
"All these decisions reflect the government's priority to ensure the rights of all quarters are protected and guaranteed.
"This also reflects the leadership of the country's transparency to improve the criminal justice system," he said.