Seven on death row for drugs have had sentences reviewed, says Azalina

PETALING JAYA: Seven prisoners on death row for offences under Section 39B Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug trafficking have undergone a review under the Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act 2023 (Act 847), says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (pic).

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said the life terms of four other prisoners were also reviewed under the same Act.

Both of these reviews were carried out at the Federal Court in Putrajaya, after the review was agreed by the Cabinet following an engagement session held by the Legal Affairs Division (BHEUU, JPM) together with the Chief Registrar’s Office of the Federal Court (PKPMP), Prisons Department (JPN), Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK), Malaysian Bar Council (Bar Council), Sabah Law Society (SLS) and Advocates Association of Sarawak (AAS).

"Today is a historic day for our country because applications for the Review of Death Sentences and Life Imprisonment (Federal Court Provisional Jurisdiction) were heard at the Federal Court, Putrajaya.

"This proves that the principle of restorative justice in the criminal justice system in Malaysia is always maintained," she said in a statement on Tuesday (Nov 14).

However, Azalina reminded that the imposition of the death penalty for criminal offences still remained as part of the country’s justice system.

She added that the death penalty was no longer mandatory and the amendments to the law gave judges the discretion to impose the appropriate punishments.

In total, there were a total of 1,020 death row and life imprisonment prisoners who were eligible to submit their applications.

As of Nov 9, the PKPMP had received 978 review applications, of which 861 for review of the death penalty and 117 for life imprisonment.

Under the provisions of Act 847, all applications must be submitted to the court within 90 days from the effective date of this Act.

The Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023 came into effect on July 4 while Act 847 came into force on Sept 12.