KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan will discuss the relevance of the abolishment of the mandatory death penalty, including submitting proposals on alternative forms of punishment to the government.
Its secretary general Mah Kah Keong said his party in general supported the government's decision to abolish the mandatory death penalty but was of the view that there was a need for scrutiny on the matter.
Mah said in certain criminal cases such as murder, rape, kidnap and gang robbery involving lives, the punishment should commensurate with the crime.
"We agree with the government's move to remove the mandatory death penalty for cases such as drug trafficking, as this abolition demonstrates the government's will to move forward on humanitarian matters.
"I believe that the mandatory death penalty will one day be abolished completely but we also think that such a punishment is still relevant for some criminal cases.
"What more, several brutal murder cases, for example, the murders of Noor Suzaily Mukhtar and Canny Ong which occurred in the past," he said at a press conference today.
As such, he said, Gerakan will hold a meeting soon to discuss the matter, particularly issues related to alternative punishment after the mandatory death penalty is abolished.
"There is a need for the mandatory death penalty in some cases because we want to give justice to the victims.
"The party will discuss in depth on the sentence given at the discretion of the judge and will suggest what form of punishment should be implemented when the mandatory death sentence is abolished," he said.
Last week, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar announced that government has agreed to abolish the mandatory death penalty.
He said the government had substituted the mandatory provision with other types of punishment subjected to the discretion of the courts.
Wan Junaidi said the Cabinet 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.