Malaysia's new government is pushing to abolish the death penalty. But the move has drawn some opposition. About 20 offences in Malaysia can result in death sentences, including possessing relatively small quantities of drugs for the purpose of trafficking. While hundreds of people have been sentenced to death over the past decade or so, only about three dozen have actually been executed. Rian Maelzer reports from Kuala Lumpur.

This gate is all that remains of Kuala Lumpur's notorious Pudu Prison, where many dozens of people were executed over the years. And the death penalty in Malaysia will soon be consigned to history too.

RIAN MAELZER PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA "More than 1,200 people are currently sitting on death row, three quarters of them for drug trafficking, which has carried a mandatory death sentence since the early 1980s. Malaysia is believed to have executed more than 450 people since 1960."

The death penalty has also been mandatory for waging war against the king, treason and murder, and possible for a dozen other offences. Malaysia's lawyers' association supports abolishing the death penalty, mandatory or otherwise.

GEORGE VARUGHESE MALAYSIAN BAR COUNCIL PRESIDENT "Death penalty is essentially taking the eye for the eye approach which defeats the aims of rehabilitation. Further, records have shown that the death penalty have not actually been a deterrent."

The government says it will replace death sentences with mandatory 30-year jail terms — with no credit for time served and no chance of parole. Ramkarpal Singh's law firm represents around 20 death-row inmates.

RAMKARPAL SINGH DEFENSE LAWYER "The inmates and their families are of course happy with the development. I spoke to a few people, people like it. So yes, there is a relief at the result of this announcement that the death penalty may be abolished but at the same time there is still that anxiety."

Two former national police chiefs have come out to oppose the abolition of the death penalty, and surveys suggest many if not most people share that view.

ALAN CHONG DEATH PENALTY SUPPORTER "If you have done something seriously wrong, you need to be punished severely. Just putting a murderer in jail is too easy. It's not acceptable."

NORSYAZWANI HARUN DEATH PENALTY SUPPORTER "If you abolish the death penalty, that will lead to more social problems, and criminals won't be afraid of the consequences of their actions."

But as the government moves to abolish capital punishment, it has imposed a moratorium on executions in the meantime. Rian Maelzer, CGTN, Putrajaya, Malaysia.