PUTRAJAYA: Caning as a punishment in Malaysia should be reviewed as it is inhumane and outdated, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
The minister in charge of Parliament and law said caning was introduced as a punishment during the colonial era but many countries no longer implemented it now.
“I think the caning punishment needs to be reviewed holistically. When someone is whipped 15 times, I think it is too much.
“It takes two to three whips for a person’s skin to come off. It is inhumane.
“Caning is something we inherited from our colonial masters.
“But why do we still cane people in Malaysia, when even Britain no longer has this form of punishment?
“So since we are undergoing a transformation of our prison and judicial system and looking into alternative punishments to the mandatory death penalty, we should also review caning,” said Wan Junaidi to reporters on the sidelines of the Malaysian Family Symposium at Putrajaya International Convention Centre here.
The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said judges should have discretion on whether to implement caning as a form of punishment.
“The country has already granted judges discretionary powers on sentencing for offences that previously prescribe the mandatory death penalty. The judges should also have the same discretion on whether to impose caning or not,” said Wan Junaidi.
He said a technical committee would be set up to look into caning punishment.
“We want to gather input from all stakeholders. Some people will not agree with me on this, so let’s hear their views too,” he said.
On June 8, the government agreed to abolish the country’s mandatory death penalty, giving judges discretion on sentencing.
The government is also studying alternative sentences in relation to 11 offences which carries the death penalty.
During his presentation at the symposium earlier, Wan Junaidi said the government was committed to tabling the amendments related to alternative sentencing in the October parliamentary session.
Also in the agenda for the October session – besides Budget 2023 – includes the tabling of the political funding Bill and the amendments related to the anti-stalking law.
Wan Junaidi said in the span of one year, the government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob managed to achieve many important milestones in the context of legal affairs.
He said this included three significant amendments to the Federal Constitution, in which the government was able to obtain more than two-thirds support in Parliament.
The amendments in question are those on the Malaysia Agreement 1963, the lowering of voting age and automatic voter registration, and the anti-party hopping law.
“These amendments reflect the government’s undivided commitment in improving the legal system in the country,” he said.
