Malaysia Is Scrapping The Mandatory Death Penalty

News Asia 360

On Monday, the Malaysian parliament voted in favour of abolishing the mandatory death penalty, which would effectively spare over 1,300 individuals currently on death row. This move is part of a larger effort to revise and improve colonial-era laws while giving judges more authority when it comes to sentencing decisions.

The new legal regime is now applicable for previously committed crimes and the 11 violations that were codenamed for capital punishment can be met with life imprisonment, 30-40 years’ incarceration, plus 12 caning strokes.

The revised legislation has not only abolished capital punishment, but it also eliminates the sentence of “natural life” imprisonment, whereby an offender is kept in prison until their death, and replaces it with a less severe sanction of 30-40 years’ “life imprisonment” plus caning.

Even though the law has abolished the death penalty for most cases, judges are still granted the liberty to provide it as a sentence in special instances based on their own discretion.

After five long years, the Malaysian government, led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 2018, finally committed a moratorium on death penalty sentences and took steps to eventually abolish it. After 5 years of the commitment made, this crucial vote was a major step forward in their commitment towards achieving this goal.

Despite the drastic political changes in Malaysia during 2020, the moratorium has remained untouched and strong. This period saw four prime ministers come and go within a three-year window, however, the moratorium still stands.

Not all wars are fought with weapons. Some are waged with tariffs, tweets, and trade barriers. And behind every move,...
Trade-war
Bill O’Reilly recently made a statement questioning the economic value of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visits to Malaysia, Vietnam, and...
Screenshot-2025-04-17-at-16.46.29
Won Woes in the Land of the Rising Sun? Korean travelers are experiencing a financial double take. The won-yen exchange...
japan-travel
Golden Years, Greener Pastures? Forget crowded Chinese cities and chilly winters. A growing wave of retirees from rapidly aging China...
chinese-retirees
Despite facing a hefty 32% tariff burden, Taiwan isn’t backing down. In a surprising display of proactive diplomacy, Taiwanese officials...
taiwan
In a theater of global politics where every handshake is a performance, Xi Jinping’s upcoming tour of Cambodia, Malaysia, and...
xi-asia
A Grim Toll Emerges from the RubbleThe aftermath of a devastating 30-storey building collapse in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district continues to...
quake
Flemming Hansen and Mette Helbæk, a Danish chef duo renowned for their eco-conscious hospitality venture Stedsans in the Woods, are...
12e0ba932cca98f5a022d41ad825bd28
Clouds Over Asia’s Growth HorizonThe Asian Development Bank (ADB) has dialed down its optimism for developing Asia. In its latest...
asia-tariff
Tariff Tango Turns Tense, Then Explosive China’s Commerce Ministry has thrown down the gauntlet, “resolutely opposing” President Trump’s threat of...
trump-new-tariffs
Credit Contagion Grips Asia Asia’s credit markets have suddenly turned queasy, a stark contrast to their recent stability. The cost...
asia-currency
The Shockwave from Washington In a move that jolted global trade headlines, former President Donald Trump unveiled a sweeping 10...
tariffs