The death penalty in Malaysia  would soon be abolished, said  a senior minister on Thursday, in a decision hailed by rights groups.

The capital punishment in Malaysia is exclusively carried out by hanging and is currently mandatory for murder, kidnapping, possession of firearms and drug trafficking, among other crimes.

Gobind Singh Deo, communications and multimedia minister of Malaysia confirmed the cabinet had resolved to end the death penalty. "I hope the law will be amended soon," he said.

The government decided to scrap capital punishment because there had been strong domestic opposition to the practice.The decision was welcomed by rights advocates.

"The death penalty is barbarous and unimaginably cruel," N. Surendran, an advisor with the Lawyers for Liberty rights group said in a statement.

Once the death penalty is scrapped, Malaysia will have the moral authority to fight for the lives of Malaysians facing death sentences abroad, he added.

(Featured image: Change.org)