PUTRAJAYA must explain the delay in abolishing the death penalty and other oppressive laws, said former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan.

She reminded Pakatan Harapan that such laws are still in use despite the pact’s election promise to do away with them.

“I do not know why it is taking such a long time to repeal oppressive laws such as the Sedition Act, which has been in place for more than 70 years (in Malaysia) when the rest of the world has abandoned it,” she said at the Forsea Democracy Festival 2019 in Kuala Lumpur today.

Ambiga urged de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong to speed up plans to abolish the death penalty, which was announced last October.

There will always be people who support and continue to believe in the benefits of draconian laws, she said.

“They want to keep these laws because it is easier to have oppressive legislation than laws based on human rights.

On the death penalty, the Institutional Reform Committee member said: “Firstly, there is evidence that it just does not work. Of course, there will be a group of about 100 people coming out and saying it works, with no evidence to back up their claim.

“Secondly, there is a lot of evidence of mistakes being made. How can we live with ourselves after taking a life and justifying it as reducing crime?

“To me, revenge cannot be the basis for punishment. The death penalty must go.”

Many quarters have called on the government to quickly abolish the death penalty, to prove it is not going back on its word.

On Thursday, Liew said the cabinet will decide on the tabling of a proposal to abolish capital punishment before the Dewan Rakyat convenes next month.

Ambiga also addressed the government’s failure to properly explain why it made a U-turn on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

“They should have gotten the relevant people to address the FAQs (frequently asked questions). Because it was not done, the opposition played it up for political reasons and managed to hoodwink the people on ICERD.”

She said it is Putrajaya’s responsibility to explain the treaty in simple terms, adding that its decision to not ratify ICERD is a sign of weakness.

“Reform requires nerves of steel if you are convinced that something is for the good of the country. This is why you stand your ground when you explain yourself.

“It (ICERD) is anti-discrimination. How could anyone who believes in human dignity oppose a convention like that? And yet, it happened.

“Did the government stand their ground? No. They immediately backed down.

“This government, if we make enough noise, they will back off. Back off too soon.” – February 17, 2019.