KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 835 prisoners have been spared the death sentence so far after review, says M. Kulasegaran.
The Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said that this was the latest figure on Sept 26, since the Federal Court has been empowered to review the death sentences and natural life imprisonment imposed on 1,020 inmates.
“115 prisoners also had their sentences of imprisonment for natural life reviewed to fixed term imprisonment,” he said during his opening address of the Forum on Reform of Laws in Malaysia.
This is life-changing for the 950 individuals, he added.
The courts were given the power under Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act 2023 (Act 847), which was passed in April last year.
Separately, he also commented about the reform to the Legal Profession Act, which will be tabled in Parliament next month.
He also noted that it was not neccesary to increase the fees for the Certificate of Legal Practice by the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB).
“We realised there are millions of ringgit in the coffers of LPQB, and there is no necessity to increase the fees,” he said.
He also said that a Common Bar exam would be very difficult but the ministry will raise these issues in Parliament, if possible, to be debated.
He also said that the ministry hopes to have the Mental Capacity Act ready by next March.
