Kathmandu : The decision to abolish the death penalty for serious crimes in Malaysia has come into effect from today.
According to the recent decision, those found guilty of serious crimes will now receive a prison sentence of up to 40 years. However, the judges have the discretionary power to impose the death penalty in exceptional cases.
In April, the Malaysian Parliament voted in favor of amending the country’s laws to abolish the mandatory death penalty.
The enacted provision will be implemented along with the abolition of the mandatory death penalty for 11 types of serious crimes, including murder and terrorism.
According to Amnesty International, a leading human rights organization, Malaysia has more than 1,300 people on death row, which is one of the highest numbers in the world. Malaysia has imposed the death penalty on more than 13 hundred people in a span of 30 years