KUALA LUMPUR: Two drug convicts were spared from the death penalty and given life imprisonment instead after they were pardoned by Sultan of Perak.
Malay daily Sinar Harian reported that the two prisoners who have been in jail for over 16 years were caught for drug trafficking and were charged under Section 39(B)(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Both began their death sentences in March and June 2009 respectively after their appeals to the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court were dismissed.
Based on the news report, Perak Pardons Board secretary Datuk Seri Abdul Puhat Mat Nayan had said that the two death row inmates' life sentences effectively started on Oct 12.
The decision was made after a Pardon's Board meeting which was chaired by Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah. The pardon was granted in conjunction with Sultan Nazrin’s birthday celebration on Nov 27.
“They have been in prison for more than 16 years, since 2001. Sultan Perak decreed that their sentence be commuted from the death penalty to life imprisonment,” said Abdul Puhat.
He said granting pardon or reducing sentences was carefully reviewed and granted only if the Sultan finds that the prisoners have truly repented for their crime.
In the news report, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othmad Said stated that since 1992, about 651 Malaysians were sentenced to death, including for drug offences.
Offences like drug trafficking and murder carry a mandatory death sentence. Amnesty International, a human rights group, had ranked Malaysia as the 10th place in death sentence.