Capital and Corporal Punishment

1) Several laws in Malaysia carry mandatory death penalties for offenses such as murder, drug trafficking, and treason. Between 1970-1996, 349 people were executed, mostly for drug offenses. 2) While the number of executions has decreased in recent years, official statistics show the death penalty has been ineffective in reducing drug addiction and the number of known addicts has risen. 3) Caning is a supplementary punishment to imprisonment for around 40 crimes including drug offenses, rape, and firearms offenses. However, caning violates international human rights standards against cruel or degrading treatment or punishment.