On Friday, the Malaysian government said it had agreed to abolish the mandatory death penalty, a move welcomed by activists. Still, it warned the country had fallen short of previous promises to improve human rights.

Several crimes, including murder and drug trafficking, still require the death penalty in Southeast Asian countries.
The reformist coalition that came to power in 2018 announced it would abolish the death penalty entirely. Still, the plan has stalled amid opposition from political opponents and the families of murder victims.

Since then, a watered-down proposal would abolish the death penalty only if executed. Justice Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said on Friday that the cabinet had agreed to abolish the mandatory death penalty. He said further research would be conducted on which sentences could replace the death penalty.

“The decision on this matter demonstrates the government’s priority to ensure that the rights of all parties are protected and guaranteed,” he said in a statement.

In addition to the crimes for which the death penalty can be imposed, there are several other crimes for which the death penalty can be imposed at the discretion of the judge.

Parliament needs to pass legislation to make the changes; Wan Junaidi told AFP that it would “take a little time” but gave no timetable.

Opposition MP Ramkarpal Singh, who was in power when the government first proposed abolishing the death penalty, said he supported the move.