The bill effectively removed the mandatory death penalty provision for 11 offences, including drug trafficking, murder, treason and terrorism.
On April 11, Dewan Negara ratified this and with a moratorium on executions in place since 2018, Malaysia has not executed a prisoner for nearly six years.
There is also an indication that the country may move towards total death penalty abolition in the future.
For now, the new laws do not eliminate the death penalty altogether but will instead, allow judges to use their discretion in imposing penalties that are proportionate to the crime that was committed, including the death penalty, where necessary.
While death penalty proponents have held campaigns to oppose such amendments, Malaysian Mental Health Association president Dr Andrew Mohanraj is one who feels that support for the death penalty is misplaced, even in cases involving murder...