Malaysia’s highest court altered the fate of 11 individuals, including two Thai nationals, convicted of drug trafficking, as the country embraced reforms abolishing mandatory death penalties earlier this year, according to state news agency Bernama.
Following the legal amendments, seven death row inmates among the 11 had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, each set at 30 years—a pivotal development in the first wave of cases under review by the Federal Court post-reforms.
Malaysian lawmakers in April made a significant decision to eliminate mandatory death penalties for offenses like drug trafficking and murder, granting judges the authority to decide whether capital punishment should be imposed.
These legislative changes also replaced life sentences with imprisonment for 30 to 40 years. Malaysia’s Law Minister Azalina Othman Said revealed that almost 1,000 individuals facing death or life sentences have sought re-sentencing, emphasizing the government’s commitment to human rights.
Law Minister Azalina Othman Said remarked, “Today is a historic day… This proves that the principle of restorative justice in Malaysia’s criminal justice system is always maintained,” in a statement issued before the court hearing.
This significant development comes shortly after the release of Sirul Azhar Umar, a former Malaysian policeman who evaded the death penalty in 2015 by fleeing to Australia. Australian law prevents the deportation of individuals to countries where they may face capital punishment.
Sirul, a former bodyguard of ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak, had been convicted for the 2006 murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a 28-year-old Mongolian model and interpreter, alongside another police officer. The home minister confirmed on Tuesday that Sirul has the right to apply for a sentencing review under the new reforms, although Sirul himself has not disclosed his intentions.
