Johor Sultan grants full pardon to one prisoner, commutes death sentence to life imprisonment for 10 others

Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has consented to grant full pardon to a prisoner and commute the death sentences of 10 other prisoners to life imprisonment in conjunction with his coronation as the fifth Sultan of modern Johor Sunday.

Johor State Secretary Datuk Ismail Karim said the prisoner granted full pardon, a juvenile offender when he committed a murder offence in 2004 was released on March 19 after an audience with the Johor Sultan.

"Sultan Ibrahim had chaired a meeting of the Johor Pardons Board on March 5.

"The meeting gave consideration to 10 cases for pardon on the death penalty under Rule 114, Prison Regulations 2000 and 13 cases for review of sentences every four years (KHETS) under Rule 54, Prisons Regulation 2000," he told reporters at the Sultan Ibrahim Building, Bukit Timbalan, here.

Ismail said the meeting was attended by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and three other Pardon Board members appointed by the Sultan.

He said on the advice of the Johor Pardons Board, Sultan Ibrahim gave the juveniles offender, now 28 years old, a reprieve and was released with the condition that he seek an audience with the Sultan to ensure he had repented.

Following that, the prisoner released under KHETS, had an audience with the Sultan at noon on March 19, at Istana Bukit Serene here, in the presence of his parents and accompanied by prison officers.

With the amnesty given, it was hoped that the pardoned prisoner would use his second chance to contribute to his family, community and country, he said.

For the commutation of sentences for the 10 prisoners, Ismail said Sultan Ibrahim had consented to pardon them on the death penalty and commute their sentences to life imprisonment for three prisoners who had committed an offence under Section 39B (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

The sentences of three other prisoners who had committed offences under Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 were also commuted to life imprisonment.

"A prisoner who committed an offence under Section 3 of the Firearms Act (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 and three others who committed offences under Section 302 of the Penal Code also had their death sentences withdrawn and instead were commuted to life sentence without parole," he said