PARLIAMENT | The government has tabled an amendment to the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (DDA) which seeks to give courts the power to sentence drug traffickers to life in prison, instead of the mandatory death penalty.

The amendment, which makes it compulsory for convicts to assist enforcement agencies in busting drug trafficking activities to escape death row, was tabled at the Dewan Rakyat for first reading by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said today.

Under the amendment to Section 39B(2) of the Act, any person who is involved in the trafficking of dangerous drugs "shall be punished on conviction with death or imprisonment for life and shall, if he is not sentenced to death, be punished with whipping of no less than 15 strokes"...