De facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz’s recent call for the abolition of capital punishment has received praise from a well-known human rights lawyer across the Causeway.

NONE M Ravi ( right ), the lawyer for Malaysian death row prisoner in Singapore, Yong Vui Kong, who had criticised Nazri earlier for being “ indifferent ” to his client, has now complimented the latter’s statement on the death penalty as “highly commendable”.

“It underlines a proportionate response to the death penalty issue, that it is not a deterrence to drug trafficking or murder,” said Ravi when contacted.

“The minister’s candid observation reflects the thinking of a modern independent Malaysia that is opposed to inhumane, cruel and degrading punishment or sentence in line with global consensus,” he added.

Ravi said he hoped Malaysia can lead its neighbour Singapore towards the 'enlightened path' of removing the death penalty once and for all.

“I am glad that Yong Vui Kong's case has rejuvenated the debate on capital punishment,” he added.

gobind suspended from parliament 160309 nazri On Sunday, Nazri ( left ), who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, reportedly said it was time for Malaysia to abolish the death penalty.

The call came amid debate over executions - carried out in Malaysia by hanging - after Kuala Lumpur last month sought clemency from Singapore for Yong, who was convicted for drug trafficking when he was only 18.

Both Malaysia and Singapore have tough anti-drug laws and have rarely sought clemency for nationals facing drug charges in the other country.

Nazri said that if it was wrong to take someone’s life, then the government should not do it either, as it was “ironic and not correct”.

He added there was always the possibility that the accused person was not guilty, and pointed out the worldwide trend towards abolishing the death penalty.

yong vui kong death roll photo and ete Yong, who has received much support from the Malaysian public, has managed to have his execution delayed pending his clemency appeal to the republic’s President SR Nathan.

Campaigners against the death penalty have managed to collect more than 100,000 signatures for a petition to spare Yong the gallows, and instead commute his sentence to life.

The petition was handed over to Nathan at the Istana by Yong’s family last week, although the latter failed to meet the Singapore president for a face to face meeting.

Several other solidarity actions for Yong have been organised, including the handing over of a protest memorandum to the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 26.

Yong’s lawyers continues to argue that their client must be pardoned due to “ illegal improprieties ” in his case as his clemency process has been flawed by the Singapore cabinet's alleged interference in his case.

However, Singapore is adamant that its decision to reject Yong’s clemency earlier was not flawed .