Sidang Meja Bulat UMMAH berhubung kesan pemansuhan hukuman mati

KENYATAAN MEDIA:

Sidang Meja Bulat UMMAH berhubung kesan pemansuhan hukuman mati

Oleh: Gerakan Pembela UMMAH

12 Februari 2019

1. Gerakan Pembela Ummah (UMMAH) telah mengadakan sidang meja bulat sebentar tadi, bagi membincangkan mengenai kesan keputusan pemansuhan hukuman mati secara umumnya, dan kaitannya dengan kes pembunuhan Muhammad Adib (“Adib”) secara khususnya. Sidang ini dihadiri antara lainnya oleh tokoh-tokoh rentas bidang, termasuk oleh para aktivis di pelbagai peringkat, mantan ketua polis negara, pengamal perundangan dan juga syariah, serta ahli-ahli akademik.

A. KES PEMBUNUHAN ADIB

2. Setelah mendengar pandangan dan hujah yang disampaikan oleh pihak-pihak yang hadir dalam perbincangan ini, UMMAH merumuskan bahawa terdapat sebab yang kukuh untuk meragui ketelusan Peguam Negara dalam menangguhkan pendakwaan terhadap pembunuh Adib, dan sebaliknya melengahkannya dengan menjalankan prosiding inkues, atas sebab-sebab berikut:-

(b) di bawah Bab XXXII Kanun Acara Jenayah, satu-satunya asas utama untuk mengadakan siasatan inkues adalah jika terdapat ketidakpastian sebab kematian mangsa; sedangkan dalam kes pembunuhan Adib, pihak polis sudah pun mengenal pasti suspek, melalui kenyataan Timbalan Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim pada 21 Disember 2018 yang mengumumkan bahawa empat orang suspek yang dikenal pasti, telah disiasat di bawah seksyen 302 Kanun Keseksaan atas kesalahan membunuh; [1]

(b) pada 24 Disember 2018, polis juga dilaporkan telah menyiapkan hasil siasatan ke atas empat orang suspek tersebut, dan telah menyerahkannya kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara untuk diambil tindakan lanjut; [2] dan

(d) justeru, memandangkan siasatan polis telah secara jelas mengenal pasti suspek, tindakan Peguam Negara untuk mengadakan inkues seolah-olah punca kematian Adib belum dikenal pasti adalah dikhuatiri hanya akan melambat-lambatkan pendakwaan terhadap para pembunuh Adib, dan membangkitkan keraguan kononnya Adib tidak dibunuh, di mana kini empat orang suspek tersebut telah pun dilepaskan dan tidak diketahui menghilang ke mana.

3. Apa yang lebih membimbangkan ialah apabila di atas semua kejanggalan ini, kini terdapat pula cadangan oleh Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Portfolio Undang-Undang) yang mengumumkan hendak menghapuskan hukuman mati, yang berkemungkinan akan dibentang untuk diluluskan dalam sidang Dewan Rakyat pada bulan Mac nanti. [3] Sama ada berkait atau tidak, Ummah melihat ini sebagai satu rangkaian kronologi yang tidak baik dan tidak sihat untuk sebuah negara yang seharusnya mengutamakan kedaulatan undang-undang, melindungi masyarakat awam dan menghukum para penjenayah.

B. CADANGAN PEMANSUHAN HUKUMAN MATI ADALAH TIDAK WAJAR

4. Dalam hal ini, UMMAH merumuskan 6 sebab hukuman mati perlu dikekalkan, dan tidak wajar dimansuhkan secara terburu-buru:-

(i) Utamakan kepentingan awam. Kerajaan seharusnya mengutamakan hak dan kepentingan 33 juta rakyat negara ini, berbanding para penjenayah yang jumlahnya sekadar minoriti, iaitu 1281 banduan akhir, yang sedang menunggu hukuman mati (i.e. 0.00039%). Hak asasi dan keselamatan masyarakat majoriti rakyat Malaysia seharusnya diberikan keutamaan. Perkara 5 Perlembagaan Persekutuan meletakkan tanggungjawab kepada Kerajaan untuk melindungi nyawa setiap rakyat Malaysia, dan ini tentunya termasuk tanggungjawab menghukum para pembunuh. Berdasarkan kaji selidik yang dijalankan secara atas talian oleh akhbar New Straits Times, 82% menyokong mengekalkan hukuman mati, dan menentang usaha untuk menghapusnya. [4] Manakala petisyen atas talian “Do not abolish death penalty” pula telah mendapat sokongan hampir 60,000 penandatangan setakat hari ini. [5]

(ii) Mencegah jenayah. Undang-undang yang ketat dan tegas bertindak sebagai pencegah jenayah sebelum ia dilakukan oleh mereka yang mungkin berniat melakukannya. UK misalnya telah menghapuskan hukuman mati sejak dari tahun 1965. Sejak dari itu, jenayah membunuh meningkat dengan mendadak. [6]

(iii) Wang pembayar cukai. Dalam pada kerajaan hari ini mendendangkan bahawa hutang negara berada pada kadar yang tinggi, dan potongan dibuat pada banyak sektor, termasuk pendidikan dan kesihatan, maka seharusnya kewangan negara disalurkan bagi perkara-perkara yang lebih bermanfaat, berbanding digunakan untuk menyara hidup para pelaku jenayah serius. Jika hukuman mati dimansuhkan, kehidupan mereka perlu ditanggung sepanjang hayat mereka di dalam penjara. Kos bagi menyara hidup seorang banduan bagi setiap satu hari adalah RM41, justeru berdasarkan jumlah banduan akhir seramai 1281 orang ditahan di dalam penjara selama 30 tahun, kosnya adalah RM41 x 356 x 30 = RM575 juta. Ini adalah wang pembayar cukai yang seharusnya boleh digunakan untuk perkara-perkara yang lebih bermanfaat, seperti penambahbaikan pendidikan, pemberian biasiswa, penjagaan kesihatan, pembinaan infrastruktur, meningkatkan penguatkuasaan undang-undang, dan lain-lain.

(iv) Undang-undang Islam. Hukum syarak menetapkan hukuman mati bagi kesalahan-kesalahan tertentu. Ini termasuk bagi jenayah membunuh, misalnya, Islam menetapkan qisas, iaitu bunuh seharusnya dibalas bunuh, jika berjaya dibuktikan melangkaui sebarang keraguan, dan jika ahli keluarga mangsa tidak memberikan kemaafan melalui diyat. Ini selaras sebahagiannya dengan seksyen 302 Kanun Keseksaan, yang menetapkan hukuman mati bagi kesalahan membunuh.

(v) Hukuman mati perlu bagi kesalahan-kesalahan serius. Baru-baru ini Yemen telah menghukum dua orang penjenayah dengan hukuman mati setelah dibuktikan mereka menculik, merogol dan kemudian membunuh seorang kanak-kanak berusia 12 tahun. [7] Di Malaysia, kita tidak kurang dengan kisah-kisah tragis di mana kanak-kanak menjadi mangsa seperti ini, di mana sejak lima tahun lalu, sebanyak 9781 kes kanak-kanak hilang telah dilaporkan di seluruh negara yang melibatkan 2280 lelaki dan 7510 perempuan. [8]

(vi) Konflik kepentingan. Undang-undang negara tidak seharusnya dibenarkan untuk dimanipulasi oleh para penjenayah atau melalui NGO-NGO yang mendapat sokongan para penjenayah, kononnya untuk menepati standard antarabangsa. UMMAH mengesyaki bahawa sesetengah NGO yang menuntut pemansuhan hukuman mati ini adalah terdiri daripada para peguam yang mempunyai kepentingan tersendiri, kerana mewakili para penjenayah selaku peguambela yang sedang menghadapi pertuduhan yang boleh membawa kepada hukuman mati. Justeru, dalam mengimbangi kepentingan para penjenayah dengan masyarakat awam, seharusnya kepentingan masyarkat awam didahulukan.

C. TUNTUTAN UMMAH

5. Justeru, UMMAH menuntut daripada kerajaan seperti berikut:-

(a) Hentikan moratorium terhadap pelaksanaan hukuman mati dengan serta-merta. Hukuman yang telah dijatuhkan oleh Mahkamah hendaklah dilaksanakan, dan kerajaan selaku cabang eksekutif tidak berhak untuk menangguhkan mahupun melengah-lengahkan hukuman yang telah diperintahkan;

(b) Tangguhkan pembentangan rang undang-undang bagi menghapuskan hukuman mati. Hukuman mati perlu dikekalkan, dan berikan kebebasan kepada para Hakim untuk menentukan hukuman yang wajar berdasarkan kepada fakta kes secara keseluruhan, termasuk menjatuhkan hukuman mati bagi kes-kes serius; dan

(b) Berikan pendedahan penuh dan berterus terang mengenai kepentingan para Menteri dan ahli-ahli parlimen, terutamanya yang mempunyai karier sebagai peguambela dan mempunyai kepentingan sama ada secara langsung mahupun tak langsung terhadap 1281 banduan akhir, kerana mereka mungkin akan bertindak bias membelakangi kepentingan awam.

Tuan Haji Aminuddin Yahya

Pengerusi

Gerakan Pembela UMMAH

[1] “Polis klasifikasi siasatan kematian Muhammad Adib sebagai kes bunuh,” The Malaysian Insight, https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/bahasa/s/119422

[2] “Investigations into Adib’s murder still ongoing, says IGP,” New Straits Times, https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/12/29/investigations-into-adibs-murder-still-ongoing-says-igp/

[3] “Kabinet setuju mansuh hukuman mati bagi 33 kesalahan,” Free Malaysia Today, https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/2018/11/13/kabinet-setuju-mansuh-hukuman-mati-bagi-33-kesalahan/

[4] “Online poll reveals majority of netizens opposed to death penalty abolition,” New Straits Time, https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/10/420315/online-poll-reveals-majority-netizens-opposed-death-penalty-abolition

[5] “Do not abolish death penalty in Malaysia”, https://www.change.org/p/do-not-abolish-death-penalty-in-malaysia

[6] Gavin Berman and Social and General Statistics, “Homicide rate and the death penalty,” http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN03805/SN03805.pdf

[7] “A bullet in the back for raping a boy: two paedophiles, 28 and 31, are publicly executed in Yemen for raping and murdering a 12 year old,” Daily Mail Online, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6682085/Two-paedophiles-28-31-publicly-executed-Yemen-raping-murdering-12-year-old-boy.html

[8] “659 kanak-kanak masih hilang,” Utusan Malaysia, http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/jenayah/659-kanak-kanak-masih-hilang-1.176198

ENGLISH PRESS RELEASE BY UMMAH 12 February 2019

(main points only, for full statement, please refer to the Malay version)

Removing the Death Penalty (DP) is a serious matter that affects our citizens & our country, economically and socially. We ask the Government NOT to remove Death Penalty (DP) for reasons below as there are no benefits but negative impact:

1. PUBLIC INTEREST FIRST. The Government should put public interest 33 million first and not the minority of criminals, ie. 1281 inmates (ie. 0.000039%). The human rights and safety of the majority public should come first. Public interest should be priority. It is clear, majority Malaysians of nearly 80% want to keep the death penalty (from survey and petitions). 

2. Death Penalty deters crime. Strict laws and punishment works to prevent crime. What people values most, deters the most. This is how sanctions, fines work. Studies show capital punishment deters crime and saves lives. (Note the DP is ineffective due to weak enforcement of our laws and also moratorium in practice). 

3. Increase of crimes & negative impact to economy and social problems. Current crime rates are very high. But if DP is removed, there will be more crimes as there is less deterrent. This will put our citizens lives in danger, especially majority public, including government servants that risk their lives everyday in danger to uphold the rule of law and protect our country. Removal of DP, undermine enforcement work and cheapen innocent civilians’ lives. Without the death penalty, if a perpetrator wants to kill to achieve something, he will kill, because at most, he is safe and also at most he only gets life imprisonment or 30 years imprisonment, whilst innocent victim(s) will lose their lives. This is wrong. Our law should protect public & enforcement officers, not the perpetrators of crime.

4. Uphold our Rule of Law not strip it. Our solid law cannot be stripped for the benefit of criminals so that they can get away from punishment “legally” when they lost all avenue of appeal for heinous crimes.

5. Taxpayers’ Money. Our country is in deficit. There are many areas, which need government support funding, including healthcare, welfare, education, infrastructure. But this initiative you use our taxpayers’ money to protect lives of perpetrators of crime, making it as priority above other needs (keeping 1281 inmates alive for 30 years cost = 41 RM x356x30 = approx. 575 million ringgit and approximately RM19.2 million on food alone every year is expensive than execution. It runs to billions. This precious taxpayers’ money that could be used for better and urgent purposes like healthcare, welfare, education, enforcement, technology, infrastructure.

6. PUBLIC OPINION COUNTS. A referendum is necessary. So much precious taxpayers’ money is used to keep criminals especially those who committed heinous crimes alive and compromising the public’s access to funds for other higher priorities and compromising our rule of law, compromising our safety, public/ taxpayers’ consent is definitely needed.

7. Follow Good Examples of Asian partners. The Death Penalty is a solid law in place for years and has been adopted by most Asian countries, to keep law and order and such countries have progressed economically and socially, eg. Singapore, China, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand. Now Sri Lanka and Philippines bringing back DP and India even implement DP against child rapists. These states all recognize DP as deterrent to crimes.

8. Islamic law. Malaysia’s majority public follows Islam law, which accepts capital punishment. Just as most Middle Eastern Islamic states all endorse capital punishment. Yemen recent steps to hang 2 men who raped and murdered a 12-year-old boy to fight against serious rising crimes and rapes of innocent children.

9. CONFLICT OF INTEREST We must not let our country and our laws be manipulated by criminals or the NGOs backed by criminals on the pretext to meet the international standards of human rights in United Nation, when in reality it is for the criminals (who will benefit most) to “escape punishment legally”. (Some NGOs have pushed the new Government for human rights reform to remove Death Penalty. A few NGOs are fronted by criminal lawyers paid to act in the best interest of their clients, ie. the criminals. They have cleverly worked together with the many liberal lawyers in our Government (some in our Parliament are still in active private practice) to push forward this initiative. There is a conflict of interest here (between criminals and our public interest, and the public interest comes first.)

Public Interest should come first. We suggest:

i) Cease the moratorium on death sentence immediately. Once the Court has adjudged a sentence to be meted out, the executive branch of the Government should not interfere by introducing a moratorium. Judgment and meting out sentences are the business of the judiciary, not the executive.

ii) Keep Death Penalty and let the judges have the discretion to decide on cases based on evidence. Let Pardons Board review on cases that concerns miscarriage of justice. Address the areas of concerns by redrafting the laws for drug related cases separately. 

ii) Full Disclosure of ALL interests of ministers/ MPs, particularly the lawyers who have vested interests (directly or indirectly in the 1281 inmates and/or any criminal cases (past and present). There is a conflict of interest here. MACC should look into this matter seriously. They must be recused from influencing in this decision in the Parliament as they might be bias for the criminals and do not act in the best interests of the public. We need to conduct thorough and responsible studies on the negative impact and to engage dialogue with the stakeholder and the public as a whole. 

We also ask public to continue to support the petition to keep the death penalty in Malaysia. https://www.change.org/p/do-not-abolish-death-penalty-in-malaysia Our crime rates are high with robberies, kidnaps, rapes of children & women, murder, & terrorism. We don't feel safe in our homes & streets. We need strict laws like death penalty to protect us. Please get the opinion from 33 million of us first. Majority never asked for Death Penalty to be removed. If Death Penalty is removed, there will be more crimes and we will not be safe. The new Government must respect our rule of law, NOT reckless by stripping it for minority criminals, ignoring the public interest. Serious crimes like murder, terrorism warrant death penalty. Do not cheapen our lives, or the lives of innocent victims, including the late fireman, Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim & prosecutor Dato Kevin Morias who were killed in line of duty. Justice must be served. You should take care of majority's human rights first! Why use taxpayers' money to give free food, housing, healthcare to minority criminals (0.000039% of population) when our country is in debt - when the Government has not solved poor welfare, healthcare, medical, education, civil servants are underpaid - all below international standards? Why create more liabilities to care for criminals' interest (allocate over 575 Million to feed 1281 inmates for 30 years) when you can't feed our understaffed enforcement team properly? Criminals are lawless & fearless, due to our weak enforcement (NOT because the law is ineffective). You should use our limited resources to first strengthen enforcement & not create more liabilities by removing death penalty. Do not be weak & do not be manipulated by activists backed by criminals. Do your due diligence: Death Penalty is the best deterrent against crimes. Enforcing it saves lives. Removing it will result in more crimes. Please enforce our laws and NOT strip it! Please KEEP DEATH PENALTY to protect the majority of Malaysians! Please support us and share. Your voice matters. Thank you.