IPOH, March 31 — Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong today reiterated that a Parliamentary Select Committee should be set up to look into repealing the mandatory death penalty.
The MCA president said with the committee, the views of the people can be obtained and that all aspects must be taken into consideration before repealing the death penalty.
“The government today is like a pasar malam. When they feel like it they will change then the next day say cannot. There must be a justification for repealing. Do not do it in a rush,” he said.
The Ayer Hitam MP said the government should not listen to only the views of certain quarters who are bent on repealing the death sentence.
“If death penalty is repealed, all prisoners are freed. That will be detrimental to the society,” he he told reporters after a groundbreaking ceremony for the Perak Wushu, Lion and Dragon Dance Federation training centre at Buntong here today,
On March 13, the Dewan Rakyat was told that the mandatory death penalty for 11 criminal offences will be repealed and substituted with the death penalty imposed at the discretion of the court.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Hanipa Maidin had reportedly said the mandatory death penalty was for nine offences under the Penal Code and two under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971.
The Cabinet, at a meeting in October 2018, decided to repeal the mandatory death penalty for 33 offences under eight Acts.
