Rights groups welcome Malaysia’s move on death penalty

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Human rights groups have applauded Malaysia’s move to scrap the mandatory death penalty as a major step forward in the push for the abolition of capital punishment in Southeast Asia. Instead of the death penalty, lawmakers on Monday approved bills to give courts the option of imposing prison sentences of between 30 and 40 years and caning not less than 12 times. Previously, courts had no choice but to mandate hanging as punishment for a range of crimes including murder, drug trafficking, treason, kidnapping and acts of terror. Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch says Malaysia’s progressive stance could help “break the logjam on forward movement towards abolition of the death penalty” in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.