On 13 March 2019, Deputy Minister of Malaysia in charge of Law Mohamed Hanipa Maidin announced to Parliament that the Government is proposing to introduce sentencing discretion for 11 offences under the Penal Code and Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act, 1971, which currently carry the mandatory death penalty. The change would leave the imposition of the death penalty in the hands of judges. Amnesty International urges the Government of Malaysia to keep its promise to abolish the death penalty once and for all, in light of its recent decision to compromise on total abolition.
