KUALA LUMPUR: The Bill to repeal the country's mandatory death penalty will be tabled for first reading at the Dewan Rakyat next month.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Ramkarpal Singh stated that the Bill was expected to be passed in April and gazetted in May.
"When it is gazetted, those affected (convicts) can file their application (to use the provisions under the Bill) at the Federal Court with the help from lawyers and the Prisons Department," he told Bernama after visiting Kajang Prison yesterday.
Ramkarpal said that when the Bill is gazetted, it will affect 1,320 inmates sentenced to death or life in prison.
He said that the application will go through judicial procedures and that the sentences will not be reduced automatically.
"The court will hear not only from the accused or those who have been convicted but the victims and families will also have the opportunity to present factors that will be brought to the court's attention through the Attorney General or the Deputy Public Prosecutor.
"The Federal Court will look at the case one by one to determine whether the death penalty should be replaced, this applies to those who were already convicted to natural life imprisonment and sentenced to the gallows," he said.
According to Ramkarpal, the new law would have an impact on these prisoners in terms of rehabilitation while also giving them another chance to re-enter the community after self reflection.
Previously, the deputy minister met with seven death-row and life-sentenced prisoners to hear their thoughts on the proposed repeal of the mandatory death penalty.
Throughout the conversation, the prisoners aged 38 to 66 expressed satisfaction with the government's efforts to repeal the mandatory death penalty.
Mohamed (not his real name), 45, who was convicted of a drug offence, stated he was currently in the 23rd year of his natural life sentence.
"Give us a chance to be with our families," he said.
Mohamad shared that the majority of death row or life condemned inmates were now over 60 years old and deserved a second opportunity in life.
In June last year, the then-ruling government agreed to eliminate the mandatory death penalty and replace it with other sentences subject to court discretion.
Following the presentation of the Report on Substitute Sentences for the Mandatory Death Penalty at the Cabinet meeting on June 8, the decision was made.