March 22
MALAYSIA: PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY: Hang them high, says father of murder victim Those guilty of serious crimes like murder or drug trafficking should face the death penalty. There are no two ways about it. This is the view of Sudin Majid, 50, who wants the Government to maintain capital punishment for serious crimes. The trader was responding to a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz on Monday, that it was worth looking into the Bar Councils proposal to abolish the death penalty. Sudin's sentiments on the death penalty are understandable. This is a man who lost his 23-year-old daughter to violence. About 2 weeks ago, Siti Zawiah, of Kelantan, was found bludgeoned to death in her rented apartment unit at Delima Apartments in Country Homes, Rawang. A blood-stained electric iron was found nearby. "The death penalty should remain. It is a deterrent to serious crimes. If someone commits murder, he or she should be punished," said Sudin. "There is no justice for the victim or the victim's family, if a criminal gets away scot-free. "I hope the Government will not abolish the death sentence," he said in a telephone interview with The Malay Mail yesterday. On March 9, Siti Zawiahs housemates returned from work to find her semi-conscious on the bedroom at their apartment unit. She was sent to the Selayang Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. On March 17, 2 factory workers aged 19 and 26, were remanded for 12 days, to facilitate investigations into the murder. The mother of marketing executive Noritta Samsuddin who was found raped and murdered at a rented apartment unit in Kuala Lumpur, more than two years ago, declined comment on Nazri's statement. Norlaila Bahari, 48, said she believed in the after-life, adding that those who got away with crimes on Earth, would still have to face God. "Nevertheless, I leave it (whether to abolish the death penalty or not) to the authorities," she said. On Dec 5, 2003, police found Noritta's nude body at her rented apartment unit in Sri Hartamas. She was gagged and bound. Engineer Hanif Basree Abdul Rahman who was charged with the murder, was acquitted by the High Court on July 1, 2004. In acquitting Hanif, judge Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong ruled that the prosecution had not established a prima facie case against him. The trial which received wide publicity, took 29 days, with the prosecution calling 34 witnesses, including Noritta's father and younger sister. (source: Malay Mail) INDONESIA: Pope sends envoy to death row Indonesians An Indonesia bishop relayed a message of support from Pope Benedict XVI to three prisoners condemned to death after a controversial trial that many observers said was unjust. According to Zenit, Bishop Joseph Suwatan, president of the Justice and Peace Commission of Manado Diocese, northern Sulawesi, told the Catholic inmates that the pope sent his blessing to them. The pope, through the bishop, invited the convicts to pray the rosary together with him, so that they might bear their burden. Bishop Suwatan met Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marinus Riwu in prison on Sunday. The three men have been condemned to death for the massacre of Muslims during interreligious clashes in Poso in 2000. The bishop said he had undertaken the visit to the Palu prison in the capacity of "special Vatican envoy." He said Benedict XVI wanted to share the men's pain and to express his solidarity for the legal injustice suffered by the three during their trial, according to AsiaNews.it. Bishop Suwatan gave Tibo and his companions a cross and rosary beads. Tibo said he was strongly moved by the considerable interest shown by the Vatican in their case. "This helps us to have courage in facing the death penalty," he said. Human rights groups claim that proceedings were marred by large-scale intimidation by Islamic fundamentalists and the judges refused to hear witnesses for the defence, who would have cleared the 3 Catholics. A lawyers' group recently appealed to the Supreme Court to review the case on the basis of new witnesses who would clear the 3 men. Tibo's cause is also backed by Nawawi S Kilat, a well-known representative of the Muslim community in Poso, and one of the signatories of the Malino peace accords of December 2001 that ended the religious conflict. Bishop Suwatan said AsiaNews.it has also played an important role at the international level, to make known the injustice suffered by Tibo and his friends. Between 2000 and 2001, more than 1,000 people died in clashes between Christians and Muslims in Poso. No Muslims have been tried for their part in the clashes as yet. (source: Catholic News)
