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
- 970
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 970 news items on Malaysia, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
OCTOBER 8, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: FEDERAL COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF FORMER SAWMILL WORKER FOR MURDER, RAPE OF NURSE
A former sawmill worker who raped a nurse after slashing the woman on the neck will be hanged for her death, having failed in his last attempt to set aside the death sentence, after the Federal Court of Putrajaya dismissed his appeal on 7 October 2020.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: PENANG MOTHER AND BOYFRIEND SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON
The Penang High Court on 24 September 2020 sentenced a mother and her boyfriend to death for the murder of her son in 2014.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO DEATH IN KUCHING
A drug dealer on 21 August 2020 was sentenced to death by hanging by the High Court in Kuching on the charge of trafficking 211.95 grams of syabu, or methamphetamine two years ago.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: NEPALI SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING FELLOW COUNTRYMAN
The High Court in Ipoh, Malaysia, on 17 August 2020 sentenced a Nepali man to death after finding him guilty of murdering a lorry driver and fellow countryman four years ago.
AUGUST 3, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: HAWKER SENT TO GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A hawker has been sentenced to death for trafficking in 41.7gm of heroin and monoacetylmorphines following a cross-appeal by the prosecution under the amended Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA), Free Malaysia Today reported on 30 July 2020.
JULY 28, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: BANGLADESHI MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING FELLOW COUNTRYMAN TWO YEARS AGO
A Bangladeshi man on 28 July 2020 was sentenced to death by the High Court in George Town, Malaysia, after he was found guilty for the murder of a countryman two years ago.
JULY 25, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF PEPPER BUSINESSMAN
The High Court of Kuching, Malaysia, on 24 July 2020 convicted and sentenced a man, who killed a pepper businessman in 2016, to death.
- JULY 20, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: NOT ALL 6 CONVICTED OF MURDERING DPP DESERVE DEATH SENTENCE, SAYS NGO
A NGO against the mandatory death penalty on 17 July 2020 said not all the six sentenced to hang for the murder of a deputy public prosecutor in 2015 deserve to be sent to the gallows.
JULY 12, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: SIX SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING PROSECUTOR
The High Court of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 9 July 2020 sentenced to death six men for the murder of deputy public prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais.
JUNE 20, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: UNDER 15% OF MALAYSIANS SUPPORT MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY, SURVEY SHOWS
Most Malaysians feel the government should keep the death penalty, especially for brutal crimes like murder, where the perpetrator exhibited high levels of intention and aggression, according to a survey by The Centre, a research outfit founded by Umno’s
JUNE 11, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: MURDER ACCUSED FOUND GUILTY, SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING
A man was found guilty for murdering his girlfriend and sentenced to death by hanging by the Kuching High Court on 10 June 2020.
- JUNE 10, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH PENALTY IS CONSTITUTIONAL, FEDERAL COURT TOLD
The Federal Court was told on 9 June 2020 that amendments to make the death penalty mandatory for cases involving drug trafficking and murder were constitutional as the legislature was empowered to do so.
MAY 19, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: FEDERAL COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF TWO MEN FOR MURDER
The Putrajaya Federal Court on 19 May 2020 upheld the death sentence of two men for the murder of an unemployed man in Butterworth, Penang six years ago.
FEBRUARY 17, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DRUG TRAFFICKING ACCUSED SENTENCED TO DEATH
A 49-year-old man on 14 February 2020 was sentenced to death by the High Court in Tawau for drug trafficking.
JANUARY 15, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DEATH PENALTY WON’T BE TOTALLY ABOLISHED, COMMITTEE TELLS VICTIMS’ FAMILIES
The special committee looking into the abolishment of the mandatory death penalty on 15 January 2020 assured the families of murder victims that the court will still have the discretionary powers to decide on whether to impose the sentence.
- JANUARY 1, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
- DECEMBER 13, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF BUSINESSMAN FOR MURDER
The Court of Appeal of Putrajaya on 10 December 2019 upheld the death sentence of a businessman for the murder of a scrap metal collector at Kampung Labohan, Kerteh, Terengganu, in December 2015.
DECEMBER 9, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THREE GET DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men, including two Iranians, on 6 December 2019 were sent to the gallows by the High Court in George Town for trafficking methamphetamine into the country four years ago.
NOVEMBER 27, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: FEDERAL COURT ACQUITS AUSTRALIAN WOMAN FACING DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
An Australian woman sentenced to death for drug-trafficking in Malaysia was acquitted on 26 November 2019 after the Federal Court in Kuala Lumpur quashed her earlier conviction by a lower court.
NOVEMBER 8, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR TWO WOMEN IN PENANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
The High Court in George Town on 31 October 2019 sentenced to death two women after finding them guilty on a charge of trafficking in 294.9 grammes of drugs into the country three years ago.
- OCTOBER 23, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DRUG TRAFFICKER TO HANG AFTER APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE
The Court of Appeal of Kuching on 22 October 2019 upheld the death sentence on a 30-year-old man for trafficking 855.8 grammes of methamphetamine three years ago.
OCTOBER 22, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: INDONESIAN COUPLE SENT TO GALLOWS OVER DEATH OF INFANT SON
The Federal Court of Appeal on 21 October 2019 upheld the death sentence imposed on an Indonesian man for murdering his two-day-old infant son, and overturned the lower court’s decision to release his girlfriend from the same charge.
- OCTOBER 22, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING COLLEAGUE OVER TASTELESS FOOD
An estate worker was sentenced to death by the High Court in Temerloh on 22 October 2019, after being found guilty of killing his colleague over a tasteless food preparation two years ago.
OCTOBER 17, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF NAJADI’S KILLER
The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya on 16 October 2019 upheld the death sentence of tow truck driver Koong Swee Kwan for murdering Arab-Malaysian Bank (AmBank) founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi.
OCTOBER 9, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: POPE FRANCIS THANKS JOHOR SULTAN FOR COMMUTING DEATH SENTENCES OF MEXICAN BROTHERS
Pope Francis has expressed his gratitude to Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar for commuting the death sentences of three Mexican brothers who were convicted for drug trafficking.
- OCTOBER 2, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: COURT UPHOLDS MILLIONAIRE KILLER’S DEATH SENTENCE
A man on 30 September 2019 lost his appeal at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya to set aside his death sentence for murdering a millionaire businessman whose burnt remains were found in an oil palm estate.
AUGUST 9, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: KING PARDONS 3 INDONESIANS WHO HAD BEEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three Indonesian citizens returned to their homeland on 7 August 2019 after they were granted pardons by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia).
- JULY 24, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
DON'T HANG A MENTALLY DISABLED PERSON, LAWYER TELLS SINGAPORE
A rights group on 23 July 2019 urged the Singapore government not to execute a 31-year-old Malaysian who was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death in 2010.
MAY 15, 2019MexicoDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THREE MEXICANS SENTENCED TO DEATH RETURNED TO MEXICO
Three Mexican nationals who were sentenced to death in Malaysia have been pardoned and returned to the country, Riviera Maya News reported on 14 May 2019.
- APRIL 22, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR VIETNAMESE WOMAN CAUGHT TRAFFICKING DRUGS
A Malaysian court has rejected a Vietnamese woman’s appeal to set aside her death sentence for drug trafficking, e.vnexpress.net reported on 22 April 2019.