THE Malaysian Bar is pleased to note that Malaysia – together with an overwhelming number of countries – continues to support the United Nations’ call for a moratorium on executions. During the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly on Nov 17, it was reported that 120 UN member states voted in favour of a draft resolution on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.
The Malaysian Bar takes this opportunity to call upon the Malaysian Federal Government once again to make public the recommendations of the Special Committee to Review Alternative Sentences to the Mandatory Death Penalty, which was established in September 2019. This is imperative in considering meting out alternative sentences. It is absolutely vital for Malaysia to fulfil its international human rights commitments by reaffirming its pledge to abolish the death penalty.