More Malaysians Against Death Penalty Think Tank Study Reveals

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The percentage of Malaysians against the death penalty has increased within two years.
This was according to a think tank’s nationwide survey to study the people’s views towards drugs and their appetite to reform the criminal justice system for drug-related offences.
It came after recent executions of Malaysian drug mules that shook the country in the past few months.
According to The Centre’s April study, less than 20 percent of Malaysians support the death penalty for major drug offences compared to 60 percent in its 2020 study.
The study was based on a face-to-face survey of adults.
In a death penalty forum held in Kuala Lumpur, The Centre’s researcher Tham Jia Vern said this shift is a good step forward in the country that could provide the government with more support to abolish the death penalty in the next Parliament session.
The government expects to table the necessary amendments to abolish mandatory death sentences in 11 law provisions during an October sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.
In June, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that if all goes according to plan, the country will no longer have the mandatory death penalty as soon as January next year.
Wan Junaidi said the government will also conduct a public survey to gather feedback from the rakyat on the abolition plan before taking the bill to the Dewan Rakyat for its first reading.
According to a parliamentary written reply in February, there are 1,341 people on death row in Malaysia, with 905 cases involving mandatory death sentences for drug trafficking.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Wan Junaidi Tuanku JaafarTolerance toward drug use
Tham said nearly half of the respondents do not support the recreational use of drugs.
However, given the tough policy and criminal justice environment toward drugs, there is a relatively higher level of public tolerance than expected.
“Around 30 percent of respondents view recreational drug use as acceptable.
“There is greater receptivity for the use of controlled drugs for self-medication compared to recreational use.
“In this regard, there is generally more support for the use of controlled drugs to address or relieve physical health than for mental health,” she added.
The study conducted from April 3 to 11 showed that the majority of respondents support non-capital punishments such as community service and fines as responses to major offences.
These major offences include knowingly transporting or delivering drugs, unknowingly transporting or delivering, selling large amounts, and possessing large amounts.
Tham said although Malaysians are known to be conservative towards drug use, they have empathetic views about drug addiction, showing a degree of awareness of the nature of addiction.
“Fifty-five to 57 percent of respondents generally have empathetic views toward people addicted to controlled drugs, seeing drug addiction as an illness and driven by trauma.
“As many as 62 percent of respondents think it is important to accept those formerly addicted to controlled drugs into society,” she added.
Death penalty for foreigners
However, the study showed that support for the death penalty for major drug offences is higher in the presence of mitigating facts, such as when foreigners are involved.
Tham claimed this could be attributed to a lack of public acceptance of foreigners and migrant workers.
“Malaysians tend to have a different perception when it comes to foreigners.
“According to an International Labour Organisation (ILO) report from 2020, a high majority of 83 percent of respondents thought that crime rates have increased in Malaysia due to migration,” she said.
Moving forward, Tham suggested that advocacy programmes be put in place to help curb the drug trafficking situation.
“We should amplify the call for a more rehabilitative environment for people who use drugs in Malaysia.
“Outcomes may include shifting the public mindset toward drug users and more compassionate messaging approaches on drug-related issues by authorities and the media.”
She also hoped that the ministers involved will come up with non-punitive methods in managing drug issues in the country. - Mkini

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