KOTA KINABALU: Five town hall sessions of the special committee set up to study alternatives to the mandatory death sentence have obtained differing feedback from the people.
Committee chairman, Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, who is the former Chief Justice, said the town hall sessions are important to obtain the views and feedback from stakeholders in the grassroots.
“The feedback received so far is very good. We will gather all opinions and analysis as recommendations which would be tabled to the cabinet by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Liew Vui Leong.
“The recommendations will be prepared in January next year and are expected to be tabled to the cabinet later in March,” he said when met after the special committee town hall session, here today.
The session was conducted by Universiti Sains Malaysia Security Department director assoc prof Datuk Dr. P. Sundramoorthy and among the panelists present were former Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim and former Solicitor General II Datin Paduka Zauyah Be T. Loth Khan.
The stakeholders present at the public consultative session included members of the public, as well as ministry and department officers and non-governmental organisations.
Richard said the proposed replacement for the mandatory death sentence involved eleven sections.
According to him, the views and feedback received at the five town hall sessions are mixed with some agreeing and some disagreeing.
Some even want the death sentence to be abolished, he said.
He said there are two more town hall sessions after this in Kuching, Sarawak next week and before that, a session with members of Parliament.
The Office of Legal Affairs under the Prime Minister’s Department has become the secretariat of the town hall sessions. - Bernama
