Malaysia
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The death penalty is provided for by various laws
- News items in the archive
- 972
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Malaysia is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 972 news items on Malaysia, from 1999 to today.
In Malaysia the death penalty was mandatory for certain offences, among them drug trafficking. A reform in 2023 abolished that mandatory character and opened the review of sentences already handed down, many of which have been commuted. The method is hanging.
The archive follows the reform, the reviews and the cases still open.
Latest news
FEBRUARY 28, 2012ThailandDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THAI DRUG TRAFFICKER TO HANG
A 32-year-old Thai woman was sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia for trafficking in 258.3gm of cocaine.
FEBRUARY 27, 2012NigeriaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: NIGERIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
In Malaysia, the High Court sentenced to death a Nigerian man after he was found guilty
FEBRUARY 27, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: SENIOR CITIZEN TO HANG FOR MURDERING FORMER WIFE
In Malaysia, the High Court sent a senior citizen to the gallows for murdering his ex-wife in
FEBRUARY 24, 2012ThailandDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THAI CADDY GETS DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING
In Malaysia, a woman was sent to the gallows for drug trafficking when the court ruled that her
- FEBRUARY 14, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
a Myanmar national was sentenced to death by hanging by the High Court
a Myanmar national was sentenced to death by hanging by the High Court
FEBRUARY 13, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: INDIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
An Indian national was sentenced to death in Malaysia for trafficking in 1,982.8 grams
FEBRUARY 12, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA DEPORTS SAUDI JOURNALIST
Malaysia deported a young Saudi journalist who is wanted in his home country over a
- FEBRUARY 10, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: THAI WOMAN TO HANG FOR TRAFFICKING IN COCAINE
In Malaysia, a Thai woman was sentenced to the gallows by the High Court after she
- FEBRUARY 8, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: ‘BLASPHEMOUS’ SAUDI POET WILL BE EXTRADITED TO SAUDI ARABIA
A Saudi poet and writer, Kashghari Hamza, who fled over a week from his country to avoid threats
- JANUARY 31, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
an Iranian mechanic was sentenced to death by the High Court
an Iranian mechanic was sentenced to death by the High Court
- JANUARY 26, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: IRANIAN MAN ESCAPES DEATH SENTENCE
A 27-year-old Iranian man escaped the gallows in Malaysia after the High
JANUARY 11, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: MURDER TRIO TO HANG
Three men's five years of freedom came to an end today when their acquittal on a charge of murdering
JANUARY 10, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: FILIPINO WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR COCAINE TRAFFICKING
A Filipina was sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia for trafficking in cocaine
- JANUARY 4, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
to a contract cleaner for drug trafficking. Judicial
to a contract cleaner for drug trafficking. Judicial
- JANUARY 1, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
- DECEMBER 31, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
in Malaysia, Justice Mohd Yazid Mustaffa sentenced interior designer
in Malaysia, Justice Mohd Yazid Mustaffa sentenced interior designer
- DECEMBER 30, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
a 65-year-old motorcycle shop owner was sentenced to death
a 65-year-old motorcycle shop owner was sentenced to death
- DECEMBER 28, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: INDONESIAN WOMAN GETS DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Indonesian woman Maggie Taissya Olyvia, 27, was sentenced to death by Malaysian High Court Judicial Commissioner Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab for trafficking 656.15g of heroin and 185.14g of monoacetylmorphine at the Custom, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in
- DECEMBER 27, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: LAUNDRY OPERATOR GETS DEATH FOR DRUGS
Malaysian High Court Judicial Commissioner Datuk Zakiah Kassim sentenced Md Nazli Sahid Said, 39, from Penang, to death for trafficking 1.06kg of cannabis at Mergong on December 24, 2010.
- DECEMBER 27, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN GUILTY OF DRUG TRAFFICKING, POSSESSION
Judge Datuk Abd Halim Aman of the Johor Baru High Court in Malaysia sentenced 48-year-old coffee shop worker Lam Foh Lin to death.
- DECEMBER 20, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: UGANDAN WOMAN TO HANG FOR DRUGS
Ugandan woman Nabweteme Hadija, a 56-year-old handicraft businesswoman, was sentenced to death by Judicial Commissioner Mohd Amin Firdaus Abdullah of the Malaysian High Court for smuggling 2.3kg of methamphetamine at the Penang International Airport on Se
- DECEMBER 18, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DRIVER SENTENCED TO DEATH
High Court Judicial commissioner Teo Say Eng sentenced S. Sivakalisvaran, 27, a lorry driver from Lorong Kledang, Taman Sentosa, Menglembu, to death for murdering his brother-in-law S. Ganesan, 35, in Medan Lahat on December 29, 2009 after a family quarre
DECEMBER 13, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: LABOURER SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Malaysian High Court Justice Azman Abdullah sentenced labourer Rosdi Taib, 43, from Rantau Panjang, to
- NOVEMBER 21, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: THREE IN FAMILY TO HANG
a company director and his two children were sentenced to death by the High
NOVEMBER 18, 2011SingaporeDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: SINGAPOREAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR STEPSON'S MURDER
A Singaporean was sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia after he was found guilty
- NOVEMBER 4, 2011ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: ZAMBIAN WOMAN TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A Zambian woman was sentenced to death in Malaysia for trafficking in 770.2gm of methamphetamine
- NOVEMBER 4, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: THREE IRANIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH
a Malaysian high court sentenced three Iranians to death by hanging after they were
- NOVEMBER 3, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE OF BROTHERS UPHELD
Justice Datuk Sulong Matjeraie, Datuk Clement Allan Skinner and Datuk Mohamed Apandi Ali of the Malaysian Court of Appeal upheld the death sentence of brothers B.Suthar 33, and B.Ramesh, 39.
- OCTOBER 31, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Justice Datuk Abd Halim Aman of the Malaysian High Court sentenced Chai Tee Keiong, 55, to death for trafficking 430.98 grams of heroin and 63.83 grams of monoacetylmorphines in Kampung Lukut Cina, near Kota Tinggi, on January 25, 2010.
- OCTOBER 25, 2011JapanDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: JAPANESE SENTENCED TO HANG IN MALAYSIA FOR DRUGS
the Malaysian High Court in Shah Alam sentenced 37-year-old Japanese woman Mariko Takeuchi, a former nurse, to death for smuggling methamphetamine into the country.