Oct. 26
INDONESIA:
Association wants death penalty to stay
The abolishment of the death sentence on drug offences may bring unwanted
consequences to the country and its people, cautioned president of the
Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Associations, Temenggong
Lu Kim Yong.
He said yesterday drug trafficking was a severe criminal offence and,
therefore, required a stern penalty to punish irresponsible parties for
bringing the dangerous substance to Malaysia.
"If the death sentence were to be abolished, it might encourage drug
trafficking in Malaysia. As we may have noticed, Malaysia has somehow become
the international drug trafficking hub in recent years.
"I don't see the penalty of life imprisonment deterring drug traffickers from
committing the crime. I, therefore, urge the government to think carefully and
consider every possible consequences before making the final decision," he said
when asked to comment on the government's suggestion to review the mandatory
death penalty for drug offences.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said
on Oct 21 the government was looking at the possibility of replacing the death
sentence with jail terms.
He said the Attorney General's Chambers would study the suitability of the
move.
The proposed review was well received by many quarters including Human Rights
Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), Amnesty International, Council of Churches
Malaysia and Malaysia Hindu Sangam.
Sharing his sentiment, Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei felt that death
sentence on non-violent crimes should be abolished.
He, however, stressed that the death penalty should be maintained to violent
capital offences including murder and firearm offences.
"I'm definitely with Nazri on the proposal to abolish the death sentence on
drug offences.
"The spirit of punishment is to make an offender pay fairly and justly in
weighing the person's action.
"I am of the view that someone has to pay blood with blood for intentionally
causing the death of another.
"This is the only fair manner to punish the offender. As to drug offender,
there is no need for one to pay blood to an act that does not directly cause
death to another," he said in his reply through SMS.
Nazri, who is also the de facto law minister, was reported to say sthere were
close to 250 Malaysians arrested as drug mules and sentenced to death abroad.
(source: Borneo Post)
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