Study conducted on whether to retain or abolish execution of death penalty

KUCHING, Oct 27 2026: The federal government is conducting a study to determine whether the moratorium on the execution of the death penalty — in effect since 2018 — should be maintained or brought to an end.

Caption: Punitha Silivarajoo, Deputy Director-General (Policy and Development) of the Legal Affairs Division under the Prime Minister’s Department,

Punitha Silivarajoo, Deputy Director-General (Policy and Development) of the Legal Affairs Division under the Prime Minister’s Department, said that this study is one of two key issues currently being addressed as part of efforts to improve the nation’s legal system.

She said the other issue concerns a proposed amendment to Section 97 of the Child Act 2001, which relates to the duration of detention for children found guilty of murder.

She explained that under current provisions, children who commit such offenses cannot be sentenced to death; instead, they may be held in detention for an indefinite period.

"Consequently, the proposed amendment seeks to establish a fixed detention period of 20 years, subject to the consideration of the State Pardons Board.

“Briefing sessions regarding both issues will be held across all states in Malaysia, involving relevant stakeholders—such as the State Secretary or the Head of State (Yang di-Pertua Negeri), depending on the specific context of each state,” she told reporters after paying a courtesy call on Governor Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, and his wife, Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, at the Astana Negeri Sarawak today.

 Punitha added that the visit, which also included representatives from the Malaysian Prison Department, aimed to provide updates on the study regarding the moratorium on the death penalty, as well as the proposed amendments to the Child Act 2001.

The meeting also served as a platform to brief the governor on both of these legal matters. 

Also present were the State Attorney-General Saferi Ali; Director of the Policy and Research Section at the Legal Affairs Division Kevin Geh Kien Meng; Chief Assistant Director of the Policy and Research Section Wan Nur Izzati Wan Yusoff; Sharon Silveraj; Assistant Director of the Policy and Research Section, Nur Shahkierin Abd Manan; Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons Hafidz Othman; Deputy Head of the Detention and Sentence Implementation Unit (under the Prisons Security and Public Order Division), Rosli Payiman; and the Deputy Director of the Administration Unit, Norlela Jarnie.