Friday, October 11, 2019

Bill to abolish mandatory death penalty will be tabled in March 2020 - Further procrastination..

The Bill to abolish mandatory death penalty will not be tabled in this parliamentary session but only in the March 2020 session...or will the government come up with new reasons for delay...or simply making yet another U-turn.

Well, MADPET suspected that the setting up of this 'special committee' or 'Task Force' would be used as another reason for the Pakatan Harapan government to delay the abolition of even the mandatory death penalty.  See MADPET media statement -‘Special Committee’ Another Excuse For Delay in Abolition of Mandatory Penalty? Delay Prejudices Many Accused Persons Whose Trial Commenced Before Abolition becomes Law

In our recent statement, Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty should happen in this Parliamentary Session- MADPET, we also pointed out that such committee could have been a year ago or before...

MADPET was concerned about the recent setting up of a special committee in September 2019 to look into alternatives to the death sentence which may end up just being yet another excuse to delay abolition of the mandatory death penalty. Such committees or task force could have been set up last year since the decision to abolish the death penalty. It could have been even earlier, for the abolition of the mandatory death penalty was an election promise of Pakatan Harapan.

Minister: Bill to repeal death penalty to be tabled in March 2020

Datuk Liew Vui Keong speaks to reporters in Parliament October 10, 2019. — Picture by Firdaus Latif
Datuk Liew Vui Keong speaks to reporters in Parliament October 10, 2019. — Picture by Firdaus Latif
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — The Bill to repeal the mandatory death penalty is expected to be tabled in Parliament in March 2020, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong.

Liew said the findings and reports of the special committee set up to study the alternative forms of punishment to the mandatory death penalty were expected to be completed by the end of the year.

“Last August, the government agreed to set up a special committee comprising nine experts to conduct a comprehensive study on the alternative punishments for the mandatory death sentence.

“In addition, it will also study the court’s discretion in imposing punishments, taking into account the concept of restorative justice, the implications and the welfare of the victims and propose appropriate penalties for such offences,” he said in a statement here.

Liew said the special committee which had its first meeting on September 20 would conduct a holistic and independent law review taking into account the theoretical and practical perspectives of the experts.

Liew said there were 33 offences under the existing laws that carried the death sentence with 11 of them were mandatory.

He said of the 11 offences that led to the mandatory death sentence, nine of them were offences under the Penal Code and two others under the Firearms (heavier penalty) Act 1971. — Bernama - Malay Mail, 10/10/2019

Bill to abolish mandatory death penalty will be tabled in March 2020

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Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong says a special task force will be organising consultation sessions with stakeholders.
PETALING JAYA: The bill to abolish the mandatory death penalty for 11 serious offences is expected to be tabled in the next parliamentary sitting in March next year, according to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong.

He said a special task force will be conducting holistic and independent checks on the law and organising consultation sessions with stakeholders to gather their views.

“The findings and the task force’s report will be presented to the monitoring committee before being handed over to the Cabinet.

“The study is expected to be completed in three months (by the end of 2019). The special task force had its first meeting on Sept 20,” he said in a statement today.

The task force, formed in August, comprises representatives of government agencies, academia, civil society and other relevant parties.

It will study the technical aspects relating to the abolition, apart from looking at alternatives to the maximum penalty.

Liew reiterated that this was in line with Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) election manifesto and showed the government’s commitment to the protection and preservation of human rights.

The bill to repeal the mandatory death penalty was expected to be tabled in Parliament this month once the government had decided on appropriate prison terms for 11 serious criminal offences covered by it.

Currently, the 11 offences fall under two acts — nine under the Penal Code, including murder, waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and committing terrorist acts — and two under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971. - Free Malaysia Today, 10/10/2019

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