KUALA LUMPUR: The re-sentencing of 11 inmates who previously faced the death and natural life imprisonment terms proves that the government is upholding human rights.
DAP vice chairman and Seputeh member of parliament (MP) Teresa Kok said the decision announced on Nov 14 was due to efforts of the minister and deputy minister in charge of law as well as the Madani government.
"This is indeed a landmark and historic decision by the Federal Court after the mandatory death penalty was abolished on April 9, which took effect in September this year.
"This may not have happen if we did not have Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and her deputy Ramkarpal Singh under the leadership of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who are steering the government to believe in the power of persuasion, political will and determination to reform the criminal justice system in Malaysia," she said in a statement today.
Kok said this needed to be done because Malaysia has taken the stage at many international forums, calling for greater integrity, conviction and good governance.
She said Malaysia has taken a move to abolish the death penalty and to introduce a re-sentencing provision and review imprisonment terms of between 30 to 40 years.
"This important move on re-sentencing shows that the government is serious about doing what is right and their commitment to move in the direction of rehabilitative justice and restorative justice instead of the retributive policy of the past."
Kok said although reducing sentences for some death row inmates shows progress, upholding human rights requires more than ending capital punishment.
"It demands increased transparency and accountability from the police, deputy public prosecutors, prison wardens, the judiciary and the public.
"Malaysia remains as part of a pool of nations that still have the death penalty, but the silver lining is that we still have a moratorium on executions, and this position must be maintained by the government of the day.
"This has enhanced Malaysia's position, which voted in favour, in December 2022 at the UN General Assembly, on a resolution for a moratorium, intending to abolish the death penalty all together.
"This momentum must be maintained and propelled further to make amendments to abolish whipping in totality as well," she said.