<p /><p>PETALING JAYA: Ex-Philippine president Gloria Arroyo said Malaysia’s move to abolish the mandatory death penalty could pave the way for full abolition.
Key takeaways
Former Philippine President Gloria Arroyo stated that Malaysia's recent abolition of the mandatory death penalty could facilitate full abolition. She emphasized that such gradual reforms, supported by political leadership and evidence of judicial errors, are essential for sustainable change.
- Malaysia's Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023 came into force on July 4, 2023.
- Arroyo, a commissioner of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty, highlighted the importance of sequential reforms.
- Philippine data showed 651 of 907 death sentences were modified or overturned, supporting abolition efforts.
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PETALING JAYA: Ex-Philippine president Gloria Arroyo said Malaysia's move to abolish the mandatory death penalty could pave the way for full abolition.
The Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023 was passed by parliament in April 2023 and came into force on July 4 that year, giving judges discretion to impose the death penalty or an alternative prison term for offences previously subject to mandatory capital punishment.
Arroyo said gradual reforms were important to achieving full abolition and ensuring the changes could be sustained.
Replacing death sentences with other penalties, imposing a moratorium on executions and abolishing the mandatory death penalty could lay the groundwork for wider reform, she said.
