'Don't block death penalty abolition' – NGO tells opposition MPs and senators
The Malaysian Against Death Penalty and Torture (Madpet) has called
on the opposition and BN-controlled Dewan Negara to support Putrajaya's
plan to abolish the death penalty.
Madpet spokesperson Charles Hector said the cabinet decision to
abolish the death penalty yesterday was good news for some 1,267 people
facing death row.
"Madpet hopes the MPs and senators from the opposition parties will
fully support the just move to abolish the death penalty," he said in a
statement today.
Hector added that Madpet hoped Putrajaya will follow through with its
decision, pointing out that the previous BN government had also made
similar indications which never materialised.
The BN-controlled Dewan Negara had previously blocked the abolition
of the Anti-Fake News Act 2018 after the Dewan Rakyat approved its
repeal.
Meanwhile, National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president Gurdial
Singh Nijar said the decision was "historic" and a fulfilment of Pakatan
Harapan government's manifesto.
"A death penalty is irreversible. There have been cases where the
wrong people have been sentenced to death for a variety of reasons –
including poor quality of defence. Thus, innocent lives are put at risk.
"Since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the US in 1976, 138
innocent men and women have been released from death row, including some
who came within minutes of execution. No such research has been
conducted in Malaysia," he said in a separate statement.
Gurdial acknowledged that the families of murder victims suffer a
great sense of loss and are traumatised but stressed that the execution
of another does not help them heal nor does it end their pain.
"Perhaps there are other ways the state can help such families,
especially those of murder victims – such as the provision of funds now
being used for the costly process of executions," he said.
Meanwhile, Lawyers for Liberty advisor N Surendran lauded Putrajaya's decision as "remarkable".
However, he added that the government should also fight for Malaysian citizens facing the death sentence abroad.
"At this moment, let us also not forget the many hundreds of
Malaysians who are languishing on death row in foreign countries,
particularly for being drug mules.
"A large number of Malaysians are awaiting execution just across the
causeway in Singapore, mainly for drug offences," he said in a
statement.
One such example, Surendran said, was the execution of S Prabagaran (photo) in Singapore last year.
"The BN government did nothing to save him... I, myself, as his
lawyer was in communication with then deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid
Hamidi, who personally assured me that he would help save Prabagaran.
"But in the end, Zahid was no help at all. Neither he nor the BN government said or did anything serious to stop the execution.
"We call upon the government to vigorously speak up for our citizens
facing death in distant shores. Having rejected the death penalty in
this country, we now have the moral authority to fight for the lives of
our citizens abroad," he said. - Malaysiakini, 11/10/2018
GAMBAR fail, Yang Dipertua Dewan Negara, Tan Sri S A Vigneswaran. - Foto Sairien Nafis
Hukuman mati: MP pembangkang, senator usah sabotaj pula
Jurucakap
Malaysia Menentang Hukuman Mati dan Penyeksaan (MADPET), Charles Hector
Fernandez, ketika menyuarakan pendirian itu berkata janji atau jaminan
sama pernah diusulkan pentadbiran terdahulu, namun ia akhirnya
mengundang kekecewaan dalam kalangan masyarakat dan aktivis apabila
gagal ditepati.
Sehubungan
itu, katanya, MADPET berharap ahli Parlimen dan Senator daripada blok
pembangkang akan memberikan sokongan penuh terhadap keputusan yang adil
oleh kerajaan ketika membentangkan usul untuk menghapuskan hukuman mati
mandatori.
“Oleh
itu, kami harap usul menghapuskan hukuman mati mandatori ini
dibentangkan pada sidang Parlimen akan datang, mulai 15 Oktober ini,
sekurang-kurangnya untuk bacaan kali pertama sekiranya tiada masa
mencukupi bagi perbahasan dan diluluskan,” katanya dalam kenyataan, hari
ini.
Persidangan
Dewan Negara, pada 12 September lalu, melakar kejutan apabila menolak
Rang Undang-Undang Antiberita Tidak Benar (Pemansuhan) 2018 yang sebelum
itu diluluskan di Dewan Rakyat pada 16 Ogos lalu selepas bacaan kali
ketiga.
Perkara
itu diumumkan Yang Dipertua Dewan Negara, Tan Sri S A Vigneswaran,
selepas undi belah bahagian menyaksikan 28 anggota dewan tidak menyokong
pemansuhan akta itu berbanding 21 yang menyokong, manakala tiga yang
lain memilih untuk tidak mengundi.
Menteri
di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Liew Vui Keong, semalam dilaporkan
berkata pelaksanaan hukuman mati mandatori bagi semua kesalahan akan
dimansuhkan di negara ini.
Susulan pengumuman itu, katanya, semua pelaksanaan hukuman mati akan ditangguhkan sehingga pemansuhan berkenaan berkuat kuasa.
Mengulas
lanjut, Fernandez menyifatkan pengumuman itu ialah khabar gembira untuk
waris dan ahli keluarga kira-kira 1,267 banduan yang ketika ini menanti
hukuman mati mandatori.
“Perangkaan
yang mewakili 2.7 peratus daripada keseluruhan 60,000 banduan ini
akhirnya tidak akan digantung, justeru ahli keluarga dan ibu bapanya
berupaya menarik nafas lega kerana mereka masih diberikan peluang untuk
meneruskan hidup. - Berita Harian, 11/10/2018
Next, save Malaysians sentenced to death abroad, Putrajaya told
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Civil group Lawyers for Liberty
(LFL) urged today the federal government to rescue Malaysians on death
row abroad after announcing its plan to abolish capital punishment.
LFL adviser N. Surendran praised the Pakatan Harapan (PH)
government for its move to table an abolition of laws providing for the
death penalty in the next Dewan Rakyat sitting, but said many citizens
are awaiting execution in other countries, including just across the
Causeway in Singapore, mainly for drug offences.
“At
this moment, let us also not forget the many hundreds of Malaysians who
are languishing on death row in foreign countries, particularly for
being drug mules,” the lawyer said in a statement.
In July last year, S. Prabagaran was hanged in Singapore
after he was convicted of drug trafficking, despite calls from the
United Nations and others to suspend his execution.
“Having
rejected the death penalty in this country, we now have the moral
authority to fight for the lives of our citizens abroad,” Surendran
said, adding that this must be a priority for the Foreign Ministry and
Putrajaya.
The National Human Rights Society (Hakam) said today that
the decision to abolish the death penalty infuses Malaysia’s criminal
justice system with values that “upholds life and proves its love for
its citizenry — no matter how and where and when they have gone wrong”.
Hakam president Gurdial Singh Nijar pointed out that the
death penalty is irreversible, putting innocent lives at risk, and
abolishing it would relieve judges and the State from deciding on
someone’s life.
Gurdial also said that a life sentence with opportunity
of parole would provide an opportunity for rehabilitation, and the funds
now used for executions can better be used to help families of victims,
especially those of the crime of murder.
However, Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture
(Madpet) has warned Putrajaya against disappointing Malaysians in
enacting the decision, hoping that the Bill will be tabled at least for
the first reading at the next immediate session.
“Madpet hopes that MP and Senators from the Opposition
parties will fully support the just move to abolish the death penalty,”
said its spokesman Charles Hector.
Yesterday, de facto law minister Datuk Liew Vui Keong
said while the government is studying certain cases, as of now, all
executions have been halted.
It has been reported that a total of 1,267 prisoners are on death row, while 35 have been executed in the last decade.- Malay Mail, 11/10/2018
Media Statement – 11/10/2018
MADPET welcomes Malaysian Cabinet
Decision to Abolish the Death Penalty
MADPET(Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture) welcomes the announcement that the Malaysian Cabinet has finally decided to abolish the death penalty, and that the needed Bill will be tabled at the next Parliamentary session, now scheduled to begin on 15/10/2018.
In the evening of 10 October 2018, the 16th World Day Against the Death Penalty, it was reported in the media that ‘…The Cabinet has decided to abolish the death penalty, and it will be tabled in the next Parliament sitting, which will begin on October 15, said Datuk Liew Vui Keong.The minister in charge of law in the Prime Minister’s Department said while the government is studying certain cases, as of now, all executions have been halted.“All death penalty will be abolished. Full stop….’(Malay Mail, 10/10/2018)
With regard persons currently on death row ‘…the Pardons Board will be tasked with looking into the applications of death row inmates. “Our view is that executions should not be carried out we will inform the Pardons Board to look into the various applications for all the death row inmates to either commute or release them…’ (Malay Mail, 10/10/2018)
This will certainly be good news for the spouses, children and relatives of the about 1,267 people on death row or 2.7% of the prison population of about 60,000 people.(Star, 28/6/2018). Their parent and/or relative will no longer be hanged to death and will live.
Whilst the announcement of the cabinet decision by the Minister is most welcome, in Malaysia, one will have to wait until the needed Bills are tabled in Parliament, become law and then put into force, hopefully by the end of 2018. Malaysians have been subjected by similar promises and/or assurances by Ministers in the past government, only to be later disappointed.
As such, it is our hope that the said Bills that will effectively abolish the death penalty will be tabled at the upcoming Parliamentary session, at the very least for the First Reading, if there be no time for it to be debated and passed.
MADPET hopes that Members of Parliament and Senators from the Opposition parties will fully support the just move to abolish the death penalty.
MADPET await the day when we can finally celebrate the abolition of the death penalty in law, and there will be no more death row in Malaysia.
Charles Hector
For and on behalf of MADPET
Note:-
·
Malay Mail, 10/10/2018 - Minister: Putrajaya to
abolish death penalty [https://www.malaymail.com/s/1681448/minister-putrajaya-to-abolish-death-penalty]
·
The Business Times, 10/10/2018 – Malaysia To
Abolish Death Penalty [https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/malaysia-to-abolish-death-penalty]
Minister: Putrajaya to abolish death penalty
PETALING JAYA, Oct 10 — The Cabinet has decided to
abolish the death penalty, and it will be tabled in the next Parliament
sitting, which will begin on October 15, said Datuk Liew Vui Keong.
The minister in charge of law in the Prime Minister’s Department said while the government is studying certain cases, as of now, all executions have been halted.
“All death penalty will be abolished. Full stop.
“We are studying certain issues... we need to look into it and hear the views of all, but as it stands today, the decision is to abolish the death penalty,” he told the media after the “Law Reform Talk” at Universiti Malaya here, today.
The minister in charge of law in the Prime Minister’s Department said while the government is studying certain cases, as of now, all executions have been halted.
“All death penalty will be abolished. Full stop.
“We are studying certain issues... we need to look into it and hear the views of all, but as it stands today, the decision is to abolish the death penalty,” he told the media after the “Law Reform Talk” at Universiti Malaya here, today.
Liew said that with Putrajaya intending to abolish the death penalty, the Pardons Board will be tasked with looking into the applications of death row inmates.
“Our view is that executions should not be carried out we will inform the Pardons Board to look into the various applications for all the death row inmates to either commute or release them.
“When commuted, they would have to face life imprisonment because there had been several deaths that were caused by the offender and so they were sentenced to death by the court,” he said.
Liew added that all the paperwork for the abolishment of the law is in its final stages, and that the Attorney General (AG) had given the green light for it to be tabled in Parliament.
“All the papers are in the final stage. The AG has also indicated to us that it is ready to be tabled, hopefully in this (Parliamentary) session,” he said.
Earlier in his opening speech, Liew said the Pakatan Harapan government is also mulling a repeal of the Sedition Act 1948 and other draconian laws. - Malay Mail, 10/10/2018
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