BY: MIZAN HAMZAH

A few Malaysian netizens have voiced their concern over the punishment meted out on offenders which they feel are not commensurate with the crime and this sort of sentencing has them wondering how a judge or magistrate arrives at their decision.

In certain instances, highlighted in social media, a person who is convicted of a trivial offence is given a heavy sentencing when in actual fact what should have been done is to just rap his knuckles or reprimand and warn the offender.

This should be true especially in the case of first time offenders who should not even be hauled to a court of law and for this reason Malaysian jails are full of prisoners who should not be there in the first place.

The impression given by authorities and law enforcement agencies in this country is that they are quick to convict and punish without mercy on trivial offences to which turning a blind eye might be a more rational form of action.

On the other hand, serious crimes committed are often witnessing the accused being let off the hook scot free due to a technicality or because prosecutors are sleeping on the job or as most Malaysians suspect being on the take.

A watching world, Malaysians and the international community, are following and monitoring closely how the judiciary performs amidst claims of selective prosecution and also the minority races being imposed harsher sentences for similar offences committed by Malay Muslims.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher