'Review of death penalty if there's mass backing'

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz said the current ‘reformist government’ is prepared to review the death penalty if there is a mass movement against it.

The government can only amend the law based on the support of the majority, he stressed.

“Certainly I think the death penalty is something you can engage the government provided there must be a strong movement against it.

“To force the government to reconsider, there must be a mass movement, a strong reaction from the citizens.

“Otherwise I think nothing will change, nothing will move,” said Nazri (left) in his opening address at the University Students Debate to Promote the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur today.

“I cannot go to the cabinet meeting and say, ‘Sir, we need a moratorium on the death penalty’, what the hell? I need to show the support,” he told the floor.

The de facto law minister, who said personally he is also against capital punishment, called on activists to lobby their MPs to raise the issue in Parliament.

“I can’t do it alone. In a democracy, we need the support of the majority. I need more MPs to come forward so I can convince the executive,” he said.

Doing away with capital punishment can propel Malaysia towards an advanced nation and earn the respect of the international community as Malaysia is among the last 58 countries in the world that still practice the death penalty, he elaborated.

“The number is dwindling, we should make sure Malaysia is not the last (to abolish the death penalty),” he quipped.

'Start with drug trafficking and arms possession'

The de facto law minister suggested that the audience kick off their movement with seeking the abolition of the mandatory death punishment for drug trafficking and arms possession.

“As a start, we can work on this. I’m quite confident, if we can all come forward and persuade the government, this is the easiest one,” he said.

He pointed out that convincing the Malay Muslim community to do away with capital punishment is harder then convincing the government, although Islam also appeals to forgiveness.

Also present at the debate, jointly organised by the European Union, Bar Council and Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), were Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee and DAP Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong.

During question time, Nazri was asked about the deportation of Saudi Arabian writer Hamza Kashgari (right).

He defended the government’s decision to deport Hamza for three reasons.

Malaysia still practices the death penalty, therefore it was consistent for us to deport him back to Saudi Arab where he may also face the same penalty, Nazri elaborated.

Secondly, he said, it is not necessary for Malaysia to have an extradition treaty with Saudi Arab to deport Hamza, because only countries with contentious issues need to have such an arrangement, whereas Malaysia and Saudi Arab are brotherly countries.

The third reason, Nazri commented, is that the offence committed by Hamza in his home country is also an offence in Malaysia.

“What he did was seditious. It could incite anger and hatred,” he added.