MALAYSIAN VICTIMS’ FAMILIES FOR THE DEATH PENALTY

“Countries that give up the death penalty award an unimaginable advantage to the criminal over his victim, the advantage of life over death.” - Lech Aleksander Kaczyński

 

Family members display photos of murder victims (from left), Kevin Morais, Sosilawati Lawiya and Wong Jing Kui speak to reporters in Kuala Lumpur, Nov. 9, 2018. Hadi Azmi/BenarNews

[PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/malaysian/death-penalty-11092018172648.html]

            On 10 October 2018, Liew Vui Keong, the minister in charge of law in the Prime Minister's Department, announced that the Malaysian Government would abolish the death penalty. A proposed bill is expected to be tabled at the next sitting of Parliament. The minister also announced that the Government had imposed a moratorium on all executions until the passage of the new law.      

We the comrades of Unit 1012: The VFFDP, want you to remember the murder victims and hear from their families, who are against abolition of the death penalty.

Sim Yee Ling (left) with her daughter Ng Yuk Tim (middle).

Where’s the justice in abolishing death penalty, asks mum of murdered girl
Nurul Azwa Aris - October 19, 2018 7:00 AM

PETALING JAYA: A mother whose teenage daughter was murdered five years ago has slammed the government for its plans to abolish the death penalty, saying this will not be fair to her child.

Sim Yee Ling, 40, recalled the anguish her family went through when Ng Yuk Tim, a Cosplay enthusiast, was found murdered with her body stuffed into a suitcase.

“She was only 15, an innocent kid,” she said amid tears.

Speaking to FMT, Sim said she had waited more than 1,000 days for the death sentence to be carried out on her daughter’s convicted murderer, Poon Wai Hong.

Now, she says, the wait would be wasted.

“It is unfair. Do they (the government) consider the feelings of the families of murder victims? I am against this.

“Why do we want to give a chance to a murderer? Where is the justice for my late daughter?”

On April 3, the High Court passed down the death sentence on Poon, who was dubbed the “Cosplay killer”, after finding him guilty of murdering Ng. His counsel Rajpal Singh said then that Poon would appeal the decision.

Poon was found guilty of murdering Ng and stuffing her remains into a suitcase at Jalan Kebun Nenas, Shah Alam on Oct 21, 2013. The body was found the following day.

Sim said it was not just about her daughter, but also about other families which had lost loved ones to murderers. She added that the death sentence for convicted murderers would provide closure for the families of victims, who needed to feel that justice had been served.

Recently, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong said the proposed abolishment of the mandatory death sentence would be for all offences, despite objections from various quarters, including the families of murder victims. The sentences of those on death row will be commuted to life imprisonment.

Sim however said the government should seek the views of the people.

“We vote for the government we want and we hope the government will listen to us. We might be a small group of people but we just want justice.”

INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/VictimsFamiliesForTheDeathPenalty/posts/1766699450118680

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/10/19/wheres-the-justice-in-abolishing-death-penalty-asks-mum-of-murdered-girl/

https://www.facebook.com/VictimsFamiliesForTheDeathPenalty/photos/a.865042603617707/1766740693447889/?type=3&theater

Bill Kayong's family unhappy over proposed abolition of death penalty

Posted on 9 November 2018 - 05:47pm

Last updated on 9 November 2018 - 09:04pm

MIRI: The family of murder victim Bill Kayong has expressed their unhappiness over the proposal to abolish death penalty especially those convicted of murder.

Miri Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng said the family had informed him that they disagreed with the proposal because it would send a wrong message as if murder was not a serious offence in the country.

"The personally sent me a message about it," he told a news conference at his office here today.

Dr Teo said the death penalty should remain for premeditated murder cases in the country and to send a strong message those who intend to take the law into their hands.

He also proposed for Malaysia to follow Singapore criminal laws especially the death penalty.

Bill Kayong, who was Miri PKR secretary, was shot dead at the traffic light intersection near E-Mart Supermarket in Jalan Kuala Baram bypass around 8.20 am on June 21, 2016.

On Aug 10, 2018, bouncer Mohd Fitri Pauzi was sentenced to death under section 302 of the Penal Code by the Miri High Court on Aug 10, 2018 over the murder of Kayong, whose Muslim name was Mohd Hasbie Abdullah, after High Court Judge P. Ravinthran found that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubts.

On Oct 16, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong was quoted as saying that government would proceed with abolishing death penalty despite criticism from families of the deceased. — Bernama

INTERNET SOURCE: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2018/11/09/bill-kayongs-family-unhappy-over-proposed-abolition-death-penalty

 

(From left) Richard Morais, Erni Dekritawati Yuliana Buhari and Wong Hie Huong want the government to retain the death penalty.

Families of murder victims say ‘no’ to axing death penalty

Vinodh Pillai

November 9, 2018 10:45 PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Family members of victims in three high-profile murder cases today urged Putrajaya not to abolish the death penalty.

The families of deputy public prosecutor Anthony Kevin Morais, cosmetics millionairess Sosilawati Lawiya, and banker Wong Jing Kui shared why they are against abolishing the death penalty at a press conference today.

Erni Dekritawati Yuliana Buhari, the daughter of Sosilawati, said the death sentence must stay.

She said even in Islam, those who take the life of another must have their lives taken away.

She said not doing so would not be right to the families of murder victims such as herself, who lost her mother.

“So many people relied on her and she was suddenly taken from us. Who would have taken care of us then?” she asked, her voice breaking.

“The punishment (death penalty) must stay because it is unfair to the victims of the families. Can you imagine if this happened to you?

“I admit we can aim for better human rights, but I strongly disagree that we need to lose the death penalty (to do this),” she said.

Sosilawati and three friends had gone to meet with her lawyer at his farm in Banting. She went to ask him to expedite payment for two post-dated cheques worth RM4 million in proceeds for the sale of her land handled by his legal firm.

Instead, the four met their grisly end in 2010 at the hands of former lawyer N Pathmanabhan and farm workers T Thilaiyalagan and R Kathavarayan, with their bodies burned cremation-style through the use of logs.

Richard Morais, the younger brother of Kevin, recalled how his brother was kidnapped and brought to Subang Jaya where he was murdered and put into a drum in 2015. He was later found covered to the brim in cement.

“They cemented his body; are you going to release these people?”

“I’m the only one who saw him. I couldn’t even make out his body,” he said with tears welling up in his eyes.

“I have never heard of crimes like this where the prosecutor was targeted and killed for doing his job for the government.

“You’ve got to lose a member of your family to murder to understand how we feel,” he said.

Wong Hie Huong, Jing Kui’s sister, said a suspect in the murder of her brother in 2012 in Sibu, Sarawak, is still at large and has Jing Kui’s child.

This is despite Jing Kui’s wife, Ling Hang Tsyr, been sentenced to death last year for abetting her now missing lover in her husband’s death.

Lawyer Christina Teng, who is a spokesman for the families of the murder victims, said many Malaysians are against the move to abolish the death penalty as justice is not seen as having been served.

“We are asking the government to please do proper due diligence,” Teng said at a press conference in Desa Pandan here.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong said last month that a bill to abolish the death penalty is expected to be tabled at the ongoing Dewan Rakyat sitting.

Teng, however, acknowledged that there were instances when the death penalty should not have been imposed. She listed instances of entrapment, duress or using drugs for medical needs as examples.

But she said the discretion should lie solely with the courts and not with the government, explaining that the death penalty should be an option for serious drug cases that can lead to other social woes and crimes.

She said axing the death penalty would only lead to more crimes, resulting in people living in fear.

Teng said Malaysia currently has a “smart government” but it is “still too emotional”. She said it needs to be strong and say “no” to activists and look at the bigger picture.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that the family of murdered PKR land activist Bill Kayong is also unhappy with the proposal to do away with the death penalty.

Miri MP Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng said the family had informed him of this, saying it would give the impression that murder was not a serious crime.

“They personally sent me a message about it,” he said at a separate press conference.

Kayong, who was Miri PKR secretary, was shot dead in 2016. On Aug 10, bouncer Mohd Fitri Pauzi was sentenced to death for the crime.

INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/11/09/families-of-murder-victims-say-no-to-axing-death-penalty/

Families with murdered relatives see no justice in killers going free [VIDEO SHARED]

KUALA LUMPUR: For family members of murder victims, there will be no justice should the death penalty be abolished.

That is the sentiment of Erni Dekritawati Yuliana Buhari, Datuk Richard Morais and Wong Hie Huong who went through the anguish of losing their loved ones in a brutal way.

Erni’s mother, businesswoman Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya, was 47 years old when she was murdered in 2010.

Richard’s brother, former deputy public prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais, was killed in 2015 while Wong’s brother Jing Kui died in 2012.

All three are calling for the government to keep the death penalty.

Erni, who is better known as Rita Sosilawati, said she was dismayed when she first heard of the news that the government was going to review the death penalty.

Holding back her tears, she said those who advocated for its abolishment should walk in the shoes of family members like her.

“It is unfair to the families of the victims. Yes, we understand that it is about human rights. But when the murderer committed the act, did he think about the rights of the victim?

“My mum was a successful businesswoman with a family who was dependent on her. Suddenly, she was taken away from us.

“It is the punishment (death penalty) that helped us find the strength to go on with our lives.

“It is not easy (to go through a murder in the family). I still need my mum,” she said.

Should the death penalty be abolished to be replaced with life imprisonment, the businesswoman said that families of murder victims would always live in fear.

“What happens when the murderer finishes serving his sentence? What if the murderer holds a grudge against us?

“The families of the victims will always feel unsafe,” she added.

Richard said it was unfair for murderers to escape the gallows when they had killed someone in cold blood.

“Kevin was an innocent prosecutor, doing his work for the government,” he said of his brother who was 55 when he was first reported to be missing in September 2015.

“You have to lose a member of your family to murder to understand how it feels,” he said.

He spoke of seeing his brother’s body.

“The body was like a rock. I couldn’t even touch him; it was covered in cement.”

Wong felt that those who committed murder should not be let free in their lifetime.

“This is wrong. They (the government) should not do this,” said Wong, who is an accountant.

Lawyer Christina Teng, who was representing all three, said the death penalty should be kept as Malaysia needed strict laws as deterrence to heinous crimes.

Teng said that commuting death sentences to life sentences would also place a huge burden on public funds.

“Why do you want to use taxpayers’ money to support the lives of perpetrators of crimes?” she asked.

The families have also started a petition at https://www.change.org/p/prime-minister-tun-dr-mahathir-protect-us-keep-enforce-death-penalty-dp-in-malaysia.

INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/11/10/do-not-abolish-death-penalty-families-with-murdered-relatives-see-no-justice-in-killers-going-free/

Family members display photos of murder victims (from left), Kevin Morais, Sosilawati Lawiya and Wong Jing Kui speak to reporters in Kuala Lumpur, Nov. 9, 2018. Hadi Azmi/BenarNews

Families of Malaysian Murder Victims Ask Government to Keep Death Penalty

Hadi Azmi Kuala Lumpur

2018-11-09

Family members of three murder victims urged the government Friday not to abolish the death penalty, a day after a Malaysian delegation faced the United Nations Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and agreed to abide by a moratorium on executions.

About 1,200 prisoners were on death row as October in the Muslim-majority nation, according to Malaysian officials.

Erni Dekritawati Yuliana, the oldest daughter of murdered cosmetic mogul Sosilawati Lawiya, said she understood the government’s efforts to better protect human rights in the country, but disagreed with efforts to ban capital punishment.

Relatives of murder victims Kevin Morais, a former deputy public prosecutor; and banker Wong Jing Kui joined Erni during a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.

“It is so unfair to (murdered) family victims to abolish the death penalty,” Erni told reporters, while emphasizing that she agreed with efforts to improve human rights in Malaysia.

Sosilawati and three others were beaten to death by her former lawyer and two farm hands, before their remains were burned to ashes in a case that gripped the nation in 2010. The defendants exhausted their chances to appeal after the Federal Court upheld the death penalty.

On Thursday during its third review by the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, Malaysian representatives reaffirmed the government’s decision to ratify all remaining U.N. rights treaties and to establish a moratorium on all executions until the death penalty is abolished.

Malaysian Human Rights Commission commissioner Jerald Joseph, who was part of the Malaysian delegation, told BenarNews he sympathized with the families.

“I can understand their pain, but the death penalty is not deterrence to those horrible crimes,” Joseph said.

Government officials could not be reached for comment Friday to respond to the families.

Last month, Liew Vui Keong, cabinet minister in charge of law, said the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad decided to abolish death penalty with no exceptions.

“New Malaysia, new look, new hope where everyone has a right of life,” Liew said on Oct. 10, underscoring that the new Malaysian view was in line with the internationally accepted convention on human rights.

Malaysia’s move, announced during an event commemorating the World Day Against the Death Penalty, spurred positive comments from U.N. chief Antonio Guterres, who described it as a stride toward eliminating the death penalty worldwide.

About 170 nations have implemented a moratorium or ended the practice of the death penalty, Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres’s spokesman, said in a statement.

Brother speaks out

Richard Morais, the slain prosecutor’s younger brother, said those who have lost loved ones through horrific deaths have a special bond.

“You have to lose a family member to murder to understand,” Richard Morais said as tears rolled down his cheeks while recounting his brother’s murder.

Kevin Morais, an employee at the attorney general’s office, was abducted while he traveling to his office on Sept. 4, 2015. His remains, entombed in a concrete-filled barrel, were found 12 days later in a suburb outside Kuala Lumpur.

“His whole body was like a rock, I couldn’t even touch his body. Is this fair?” Richard Morais said.

Seven people charged with Kevin Morais’ murder pleaded not guilty and are on trial in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

Lawyer Christina Teng, who represented all three families, said the government should not bulldoze through the decision to abolish capital punishment because it is needed as a deterrence.

Teng said the survivors think the government failed to consider their feelings.

Wong Jing Kui’s family members did not speak to reporters.

Human rights group reacts

Amnesty International Malaysia challenged the claim that capital punishment deters crime, saying there was no credible evidence the death penalty was any more effective in reducing crime than life sentences.

“Abolishing the death penalty does not mean that those convicted of a crime will go free and justice will not be served,” Executive Director Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu said in an email to BenarNews.

Shamini said the death penalty is a matter of taking a life and, by principle, the state has no right to take the life of another human being.

The rights group mentioned Canada, where the murder rate in 2008 was less than half the rate in 1976 when the country abolished capital punishment.

“The Malaysian government’s plans to abolish the death penalty for all crimes has created an opportunity for Malaysians to have constructive debates on its effectiveness in deterring crime and also for the country to uphold human rights reforms,” Shamini said.

INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/malaysian/death-penalty-11092018172648.html

(File pic) Rita said she strongly objected to the idea of abolishing the death penalty as it was unfair for the family members. (Pic by ZULAIKHA ZAINUZMAN)

Families in high profile murder cases urge govt not to abolish death penalty

By Teoh Pei Ying - November 9, 2018 @ 7:03pm

KUALA LUMPUR: Family members of several high profile murder cases have urged the Government not to abolish death penalty to prevent serious crimes.

They are Sosilawati Lawiya’s eldest daughter, Erni Dekritawati Yuliana Buhari, or better known as Rita; Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais’ younger brother Datuk Richard Morais, and HSBC banker Stephen Wong Jing Kui’s elder sister, Wong Hie Huong.

They also shared the challenges they had gone through during the trial.

Rita said she strongly objected to the idea of abolishing the death penalty as it was unfair for the family members.

“In my mother,s case, it took seven years for the court to make its final decision. When we know that the murderers are finally sentenced to death, we are relieved, and get the strength to continue our lives.

“I know that the Government wants to enhance human rights, but when they (murderers) killed my mother, did they ever think about us, the family members who are left behind.

“My mother was a successful businesswoman. She was the backbone of the family. We lost her overnight, and at that time, we lost our direction in life.

“Hence, it is very worrying that our rule of law can be abolished to protect criminals. The fact it (the murder) was masterminded by a person of influence, money, power, and was a lawyer is a real concern. We cannot let criminals abuse and manipulate our criminal legal system,” she told reporters at a press conference today at a restaurant in G Village here.

Richard said he was still traumatised and badly affected by his brother’s murder.

“Until today, I can still remember vividly my brother’s body, murdered and cemented. I am still traumatised.

“Just imagine, if the death penalty is revoked, the perpetrators are all still young. What if they don’t repent when they are jailed, they may seek revenge after they are released,” he said.

Hie Huong said the nightmare would never end if the death penalty was abolished.

“Can you imagine someone who has been convicted of murder can still get what she (Stephen’s wife) wanted - their son and the deceased’s money.

“The damage that brought to my family is irreparable. Till now, the convict holds custody of my brother’s only son, for six years. We have no access to the child even though he lived with us since birth. She is also a beneficiary of my brother’s estate. Where’s the justice?

“It is very unfair to us if the death penalty is abolished. She will only be locked up for 20 to 30 years. What has been done cannot be reversed,” she said.

Meanwhile, lawyer Christina Teng, representing the family members, said the country needs strict laws to keep law and order.

“We need strict punishment, for example, death penalty as a shield to prevent serious crimes, including murder, terrorism and drug trafficking, which can cause perpetual damage to our society. When less deterrent, it will trigger more crime and social problems.

“Besides, it will create more liabilities and wrong usage of public funds. We are in deficit and should be prudent in spending public funds.

“Why waste taxpayers’ money when we have not addressed more important priority? Estimated cost on food alone for 1,281 inmates with death penalty, for 30 years will cost more than RM575 million. This does not include medical treatment and infrastructure.

“Please look at the bigger picture and best interest of our country and common good of the people before making any decision,” she said.

On Oct 27, NSTP reported that the government had yet to finalise the decision to abolish death sentence.

Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the ministry was still seeking consultation and feedback from various parties before it was tabled to the Cabinet.

INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/11/429663/families-high-profile-murder-cases-urge-govt-not-abolish-death-penalty

VIDEO SOURCE: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/451154 & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpJNkHflO5Y

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION BY GOING HERE: https://www.change.org/p/prime-minister-tun-dr-mahathir-protect-us-keep-enforce-death-penalty-dp-in-malaysia

PROTECT US KEEP & ENFORCE DEATH PENALTY (“DP”) IN MALAYSIA.

Protect Malaysia started this petition to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir and 2 others

Our crime rates are high with robberies, kidnaps, rapes of children and women, murder and mass killings, even with death penalty. We don't feel safe in our homes and even on the streets! Criminals have become lawless and fearless, due to weak enforcement. We want strict laws like death penalty in place to protect us.

Death Penalty (“DP”) deters crime and saves innocent lives. It is an effective deterrent against serious crimes. What we fear the most deters the most. (H. Naci Mocan, an economist at Louisiana State University, author of a study finding that each execution saves five lives. “But my research shows that there is a deterrent effect.”) If DP is removed, there will be increased crimes and we will not be safe. DP has been proven to benefit people as in socially and economically progressive Singapore, Japan and China.

The problem is never with DP being ineffective, the problem is our weak enforcement effort. The Government should instead focus on strengthening our enforcement effort to fight crime.

The new Government must respect our laws seriously! If you leaders don’t follow it, how do you expect others, especially lawless and fearless criminals to follow it? If you remove DP, you devalue our rule of law; you devalue our lives and you devalue yourselves as weak Government. Serious crimes like murder, terrorism warrant death penalty. Justice must be served.

Why remove DP as  a priority to ensure human rights of criminals reach international standards when we have not even cleanup the current mess? The Government should take care of the human rights of 31.6 million Malaysians first (instead of the 1281 inmates = 0.00004051% of the population.) We need to deal with important and urgent issues, including poor welfare, healthcare, medical and education systems (all below international standards).

We really need to step up our enforcement efforts to fight crimes. (Our enforcement team are understaffed, overworked and underpaid - we need resources & urgent cleanup of our passive enforcement sectors, including police, prosecutors, judges, welfare. Why don’t you think about their human rights first? They put their lives in danger to protect our country, instead of the criminals who cause troubles to us?) The Government should also target the root of crimes, save and educate the poor vulnerable children first! Often criminals come from broken homes, with no parental guidance or education. Often misguided and they commit crimes Please use our limited funds to solve this problem first.

Why use our precious taxpayers' money to build more prisons & provide free food, housing, healthcare and other privileges when our country is in debt, when the Government cannot even afford to feed your children and civil servants properly. We need to take on more liabilities and spend millions and even billlions with this intiative (estimated 575 millions to feed 1281 inmates 30 years, what about infrastructure, healthcare etc.?

We want our leaders to respect, uphold and enforce the rule of law, not weak in enforcing it and not foolish by stripping it for the sake of minority criminals, ignoring the public interest. Do your due diligence, DP saves lives, taking it away will result in more crimes!  Get the opinion from 31.6 million of us first. Majority never asked for DP to be removed.

Do not be weak & do not be manipulated by activists backed by criminals. You should clean up the current mess and not cause more chaos by removing death penalty. Let us keep our strict law. Enforce our laws and not strip it! Please protect us 31.62 million of the majority of people living in Malaysia safe! Please KEEP DEATH PENALTY as deterrent to protect us from serious crimes!

Please share & support this so our appeal is heard.