PARLIAMENT | The Dewan Rakyat has passed the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) (DDA) Bill with changes that will give courts full discretion to mete out life sentences against drug traffickers.

The changes were mooted by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said during the committee stage of the DDA Bill.

Currently, judges are bound by law to sentence drug traffickers to death.

The government had sought to change this by amending the Dangerous Drugs Act, to allow for life sentences if the accused helped authorities to disrupt other drug operations.

However, under the original Bill tabled on Nov 23, a judge can only impose a life sentence after obtaining a written certificate from the public prosecutor...