‘Malaysia must stay on an irrevocable path towards the total abolition of this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment’ - Nicole Fong

Following the Government’s announcement that a comprehensive study on the total abolition of the death penalty will begin in January 2026, Nicole Fong, Amnesty International Malaysia’s Research and Advocacy Officer, said: 

“It’s heartening to see the Government finally taking this next step, but there should be no hesitation - Malaysia must stay on an irrevocable path towards the total abolition of this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. As the review moves forward, it must go beyond a doctrinal study and be grounded in international human rights law and standards. 

“Most of the world has already consigned this cruel punishment to the history books. Malaysia has taken important steps in the right direction, but we cannot stop halfway. Every delay means more lives put at risk and more families left in limbo.

“The death penalty does not make us safer. The Government must move with urgency and conviction to end the death penalty once and for all - leading the region by example.”

97 people on death row

The study is expected to run for four months, with the possibility of extension to ensure a thorough and inclusive review. The announcement follows Malaysia’s landmark decision in 2023 to abolish the mandatory death penalty and reduce the scope of the death penalty, which led to the reduction of more than 1,000 death sentences. However, Amnesty’s initial assessment of this revealed a number of concerns. As of 11 November, 97 people remain on death row in Malaysia according to data from the Prisons Department reported to Parliament.

Amnesty opposes the death penalty unconditionally, in any cases and under any circumstances. As of today, 113 countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes and close to three quarters are abolitionist in law or practice.