MALAYSIA: MINISTER FOR ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY

March 1, 2012: In Malaysia, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz called himself a “knight in armour” who is all for abolishing the death penalty. But he said that he needed the support of all the other knights (MPs) to push for the removal of the capital punishment.
“As an individual, I am all for the abolition of the death penalty. We charge a person with murder because we don’t agree with the person taking a person’s life,” he said. “If we don’t agree with taking a person’s life, what right does the government have to take a person’s life?”
Nazri, who is also Padang Rengas MP, was speaking at a debate on promoting the abolition of the death penalty in Malaysia here. The debate was organised by the European Union, the Malaysian Bar and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
He also urged the audience to move for a moratorium (on the death penalty) and persuade their respective MPs to call for the abolition of the death penalty. “I cannot suddenly go and say we need a moratorium. I am your knight in armour but I need the support of other knight in armours (MPs) too,” he said.
“I hope one day the government will abolish the death penalty and I hope it is soon,” Nazri Aziz said. He also told the audience that it would be easier to lift the death penalty by abolishing it in drugs and arms possession cases where the capital punishment is mandatory (upon conviction).
Nazri said the Government had shown its determination for reformation by abolishing some laws which were considered draconian in the past two years. He said the Government was open to views on the death penalty but it would require strong opposition from the people to abolish it. “There must be a mass movement and strong opposition from the people for us to abolish the death penalty. Otherwise, nothing will change,” he said.
Nazri added that the proponents of the death penalty should convince the Muslims in practising the concept of “blood money” under Sharia law. He explained that the victim’s family would offer forgiveness in return for compensation. “This way you can move towards abolition [the death penalty] without infringing on Islam.” He said that this right to forgive should then be passed on to the government so that death row inmates can have their penalty commuted to life sentence. (Sources: freemalaysiatoday.com, 01/03/2012; thestar.com.my, 02/3/2012)