The case is one among 807 applications to review death sentences that were filed by prisoners, while 117 others have asked for a review of their life sentences.

Deputy law and institutional reform minister Ramkarpal Singh said the government had allocated RM12 million to cover the cost of review applications, including funds for legal aid services.

He said the first case to be reviewed will be heard by the Federal Court on Nov 14.

The reviews will be made under a new law that came into force in September providing powers for the Federal Court to hear applications following the abolition of the death penalty in July.

Ramkarpal’s statement was made in reply to Gobind Singh Deo (PH-Damansara), who asked the government about the cost involved in reviewing applications for the death penalty, the number of applications and the timeframe for hearings of the applications.

He said there was no fixed timeframe for the hearings as the process would be carried out in stages.