Malaysian law takes effect as death penalties reduced to longer sentences

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - In a milestone decision, Malaysian judges have commuted death penalty sentences handed down to at least 11 convicts, including two citizens of Thailand, after the Southeast Asian nation made changes to the law early this year.

The 11 were awaiting the death penalty for drug trafficking but “became the first batch of inmates to have their death sentence and natural-life imprisonment commuted,” Kuala Lumpur-based daily Malay Mail reported.

This April, Malaysia’s parliament passed a bill to make capital punishment an optional penalty and no longer mandatory. The move was lauded by the UN, as the change could save up to 1,300 people in the Southeast Asian nation.

The amended law, which came into force in July, allows for a life sentence of 30-40 years and no fewer than 12 strokes of the cane to be given.

Native Teh Hock Leong is the longest-serving convict on death row, with 24 years.

He was the first applicant for review of his conviction whose death sentence was commuted to 30 years since his arrest in June 1999.

Two Thai nationals, in Malaysian prison since 2002 and 2001, saw their death sentence commuted to 30 years in prison.