KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — An Opposition MP has urged the government to consider abolishing the death penalty altogether following its announcement to do away with mandatory capital punishment for serious drug-related offences.

Bukit Gelugor DAP representative Ramkarpal Singh said the government should heed the research that prompted Putrajaya to adopt the new policy — that the death penalty has failed to act as a deterrent — in its entirety, and extend it to all offences.

The research referred to was cited by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman as the basis for the removal of the death penalty for serious offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

"Azalina stated that the Cabinet had, on 1.3.2017, agreed to such amendments after being persuaded by a study conducted by the International Centre for Law and Legal Studies (I-CeLLS).

"It is interesting to note the said study was not confined only to offences under the DDA but concerned the death penalty as a whole in this country,” the MP said in a statement.

"In light of the above, I am of the view that the Government should go a step further and replace the mandatory death penalty for all offences which carries the said sentence with a discretion given to a judge to impose an alternative appropriate sentence depending on the facts and circumstances of a given case,” he added.

Yesterday Azalina said the Federal Cabinet has agreed unanimously to do away with the mandatory death penalty for drug traffickers pending Parliament’s approval.

The Cabinet agreed to amend the colonial-era Dangerous Drugs Act of 1952 to give courts a choice in sentencing, Azalina said in a written parliamentary response to Ramkarpal.

Capital punishment is mandatory in Malaysia for murder and drug trafficking, among other crimes.

The DAP MP said the announcement was most welcomed.

Ramkarpal noted that the decision was timely since the findings of numerous researches have strongly argued against the death penalty as an effective measure to curb drug trafficking.

"It is highly doubtful if the death penalty has been effective in preventing certain crimes,” he said.

"And it is hoped giving judges the discretion to impose alternative sentences in drug trafficking cases would result in the ultimate goal of the abolishment of the mandatory death penalty for all offences which carry it in the near future”.