Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today explained the death penalty will remain and was not abolished, and the change is only that judges are now given discretion in sentencing.

He said this in response to an earlier statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

The minister stated that the government agreed to abolish the mandatory death penalty and to substitute it with other sentences which are subject to the discretion of the court.

Ismail Sabri said with the decision, the “mandatory” part will...