“Tali Tukang Gantung” Theatre Project Examines Death Penalty and Right to Life in Malaysia

About The Production

A theatre performance examining the death penalty and the right to life in Malaysia will be staged later this month at the Five Arts Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Titled Tali Tukang Gantung (The Hangman’s Rope), the production is presented by the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR), the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN), and Amnesty International Malaysia.

The project is built on interviews, research, legal cases, and real-life accounts linked to Malaysia’s criminal justice system.

The 60-minute performance draws from interviews with individuals connected to the country’s death penalty system, including inmates, family members, lawyers, judges, and members of the prison community. Through theatre, movement, projection, and music, the production explores the human costs of capital punishment and highlights how flawed trials and political decisions can determine matters of life and death.

Schedule And Venue

Tali Tukang Gantung will run on 17 and 18 January 2026 at the Five Arts Centre, located at GMBB. Shows are scheduled at 3pm and 8pm on both days.

The opening matinee performance on 17 January will be followed by a 60-minute panel discussion, while the final show on 18 January will conclude with a candlelight vigil.

Tickets And Community Support

Tickets for the performance are offered on a “pay as you wish” basis, with a minimum contribution of RM5. Organisers said that all proceeds from the production will go towards supporting creative writing workshops for the prison community, providing incarcerated individuals opportunities for creative expression.