Mandatory death penalty: Govt expects to table abolition bill in October

The government expects to table the necessary amendments to abolish mandatory death sentences in 11 law provisions during a Parliament session in October.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that if all goes according to plan, the country will no longer have the mandatory death penalty as soon as January next year.

Wan Junaidi said the government will also conduct a public survey to gather feedback from the rakyat on the abolition plan before taking the bill to the Dewan Rakyat for its first reading.

"If we can settle all the issues regarding amendments, we can table (in the Dewan Rakyat) what the cabinet decides on mandatory death sentence this October.

"Then by December, it can go into the Dewan Negara. And by January, the (mandatory death penalty) will be abolished in reality," he added.

[More to follow] - Mkini