MM Online - Minister: Death penalty may not totally go, Cabinet weighing two other options (extracts)
KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 ― The federal government might not fully abolish the death penalty as previously proposed and is considering two other options, Datuk Liew Vui Keong said.
Liew said the government expanded the initial proposal to include the alternative following feedback from non-governmental organisations, families of crime victims and convicts on death row, as well as from the Home Ministry's own findings.
Liew, whose portfolio covers legal affairs, said the three options relating to death penalty will be presented to the Cabinet this month.
“I believe that Cabinet will make a moderate decision,” he was quoted saying in an interview with local daily Sin Chew Daily.
Liew said the first option is for the “total abolition” of the death penalty for 33 criminal offences covered in eight Acts, replacing it with life imprisonment instead.
These eight laws are the Penal Code, Firearms (Heavier Penalties) Act 1971, Firearms Act 1960, Kidnapping Act 1961, Armed Forces Act 1972, Water Services Industries Act 2006, Strategic Trade Act 2010, and the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The second option is for the death penalty to be non-mandatory for crimes such as murder, with judges gaining the discretion to alternatively sentence convicts to life imprisonment.
The third option involves only abolishing the mandatory death sentence for the offence of trafficking in dangerous drugs under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act, and changing it to life imprisonment of 30 years, Sin Chew Daily reported.
The so-called feedback which has now influenced the Pakatan government into a shameful backdown from a civilised humanitarian abolishment of the cruel and barbaric death penalty is not as Minister Liew claimed, namely, feedback from non-governmental organisations, families of crime victims and convicts on death row, as well as from the Home Ministry's own findings, but rather, the two consecutive by-elections losses in Cameron Highlands and Semenyih.
That is Pakatan's shameful disgrace, where human lives are disregarded for political interests. Mahathir's Pribumi is an ultra conservative poilitical party which members like the conservative Heartland they are courting do not believe in abolishing the death penalty.
Abolishing such a barbaric act of state sanctioned murder does not and should not require nonsensical feedback from emotional constituencies especially family members of murdered victims for fCking obvious reasons that emotional people do not make balanced and well-considered opinions.
Civilised legal acts rather require strong humane courageous leadership but which it seems, Pakatan leaders grossly lack.
Next time when Pakatan leaders want to eff, make sure their desired lustful bonking is approved by fCking feedback from the public.
Please correct this misleading statement:
ReplyDeleteQUOTE
Civilised legal acts rather require strong humane courageous leadership but which it seems, Pakatan leaders grossly lack.
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to
Civilised legal acts rather require strong humane courageous leadership but which it seems, Pakatan & UMNO, MCA, MIC, PAS leaders grossly lack.
On the contrary, Capital Punishment for those found guilty of the most dastardly of crimes is about respect for the Sanctity and Value of Human Life - that of the Victim or Victims.
ReplyDeleteA person who intentionally and pre-meditatedly kills another person in cold blood, and gets to walk away after 20 years in prison cheapens the life and death of his victim or victims.
Often, the perpetrator is still relatively young - early 40's and gets to fully enjoy in freedom the rest of his life.
who says we need to impose only 20 years? M'sia can impose real "life sentences" for horrific crimes without having the western concept of "life" which in their case usually means 20 years
Deletesecondly, even if a person kills, there is no necessity for the state to barbarically kill him or her as well like medieval middle-eastern tribes did/do when the state has other means, eg incarceceration as punishment, exclusion from society and deterrence.
the killer may be an animal but we needn't follow suit
DeleteI made my views very clear to my local MP, who is a Deputy Minister.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am glad the Pakatan government understands the Malaysian public is not prepared to drop capital punishment completely.
The right decision.
you may be an emotional hardcore barbaric minded person with hair growing from your heart, hardly the correct person for the minister to take advice from
DeleteIf Harapan goes ahead with full repeal this blog will be up in arms over the non-consultation with all parties, injustice for the victims etc. If it retains status quo then we will say no guts, injustice to the victims etc.
ReplyDeleteSo how?
A good compromise would be all death penalties be reviewed by a full bench of the Federal Court, irrespective of whether the defendant appeals or not.
Paid to Hentam, Hentam, Hentam PH government whichever way.
DeleteAs long as KPI met.
Beres!
Why shouldn't family members of victims have the right to be consulted ?
ReplyDeleteThe family members and lawyers of those on Death Row have been the loudest campaigners against the Death Penalty.
Don't they count as "nonsensical feedback from emotional constituencies" ?
reade what I wrote
DeleteKT, unfortunately, M'sians have not reached the civil maturity to realise 'authorised killing by the State' is still killing - something no authority or human being should be able to exercise on another human being.
ReplyDeleteIt has been proved that Murder by the State (otherwise known as capital punishment) does not deter murdering.
The PH Government deserves credit for considering this issue. The conclusion is the Malaysian public is not ready for a full repeal of Capital Punishment.
ReplyDeleteAh Mok has turned this into a crude political attack against PH, which previously never , never , ever , criticised the BN Najib Government.
He may have previously opposed Capital Punishment. but never criticised BN politically on the matter.
Double standards !