Liew: Death penalty to be abolished

KUALA LUMPUR: The death penalty will be abolished and there should be a moratorium on all executions until then, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong.

The de facto law minister said the only issue was what to do with the convicts currently on death row.

“Death penalty will be abolished. Full stop. Since we are abolishing the sentence, all executions should not be carried out.

“We will inform the Pardons Board to look into various applications for convicts on the (death penalty) waiting list to either be commuted or released,” he told the press after chairing the Law Reform Talk at Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Law yesterday.

While the government was studying certain cases, he said that in reviewing the punishment, various aspects must be taken into account in ensuring an appropriate penalty was doled out to offenders.

“Drug-related offences will be different and considerations must be given to convicts who, for example, were drug mules compared to those who committed heinous crimes.

“We also need to comprehensively consider all cases, especially when it concerns the families of murdered victims,” he said.

Liew also noted that the Bill on abolishing the death penalty would be tabled in the coming Parliament meeting beginning Monday.

Meanwhile, Liew also announced the steering committee of the special Cabinet panel on implementing the Malaysia Agreement 1963, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The 16 members are Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, Works Minister Baru Bian, International Trade and Industry Minister Darell Leiking, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Bakar, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk David Wong Dak Wah, Attorney General Tommy Thomas, Universiti Malay Professor of Law Prof Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, Sabah Attorney General Zaleha Rose Pandin, Sarawak Attorney General Datuk Talat Mahmood Abdul Rashid and Liew.