Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) welcomes the announcement by the Malaysian government  that it will be reviewing and abolishing the mandatory death penalty in Malaysia. 

The mandatory death penalty regime does not provide justice as it deprives judges of the discretion to  sentence based on the situation of each individual offender. This regime has resulted in absurd sentences  that have led to public outcries, such as those involving Hairun Jalmani, a single mother sentenced to  death for drug trafficking in Tawau, and Mainthan Arumugam, a person on death row for a murder that  never happened. 

In addition to abolishing the mandatory death penalty, critical reform, including but not limited to mental  health and criminal culpability; redefining drug offenses to account for drug mules and other exploited  individuals within the drug trade; and strengthening rehabilitative justice and victim support system needs  to be considered. 

ADPAN reiterates our support for Malaysia’s abolition of the mandatory death penalty and calls on the  Malaysian government to engage with key stakeholders and experts to support and further the systemic  reform suggested by the Minister of Law.