COMMENT | Should Malaysia ratify UN Torture Convention?

COMMENT | In his recent ministerial reply in Parliament, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told the Dewan Rakyat that Malaysia will not be ratifying the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT).

In justifying the government’s decision, the minister gave several reasons. One such reason was that by doing so, it would require the government to amend several laws.

He also said the UN convention prohibits a country from enacting laws with elements of “severe pain” as part of its punishment.

He argued that if the government decides to ratify UNCAT, it may need to remove caning as a punishment in our current criminal legal system.

Under the present system, caning is provided as a punishment for several offences such as rape under the Penal Code as well as crimes dealing with drug trafficking under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Additionally, the minister lamented that...