PARLIAMENT The cabinet has agreed that the mandatory death penalty for drug offences needs to be reviewed.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said told the Dewan Rakyat that the cabinet made this decision on March 1, after attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali gave them a presentation.

"The cabinet agreed and decided that amendments be made to Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act by including additional clauses to give discretionary power to the courts to bestow other sentences, besides the mandatory death penalty, in certain situations," Azalina said today.