Over 800 death row sentences commuted to life imprisonment under new Act, says Azalina

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — More than 800 death row inmates in Malaysia have had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment under the new Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Review Act 2023.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said 866 individuals received reduced sentences from the Federal Court between Jan 1 and Oct 14, 2024.

“Of that number, 52 were prisoners at the appeal stage who were granted a reduction of their death sentences to imprisonment.

“Additionally, another 814 individuals were granted a reduction of their death sentences to imprisonment through hearings under the Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Review (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act 2023 [Act 847], which came into effect on September 12, 2023,” she said in a parliamentary written reply to Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh Deo.

Ramkarpal had asked the Prime Minister’s Department for the number of individuals newly sentenced to death from January 1 to October 14 this year, and the number of death penalty commutations during the same period.

Azalina noted that 18 individuals received new death sentences — 12 from the High Court and six from the Court of Appeal.