Due to the world-wide uproar, Brunei says it will not put gays, people who engage in adultery and rapists to death.
The laws that were supposed to take effect introduced stoning to death for sodomy, rape and adultery, amputation of hands and feet for thieves, and public flogging for abortion.
Bolkiah, the sultan issued his first public comments on the issue earlier today (Sunday).
Bolkiah, in a televised address ahead of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, said he was "aware that there are many questions and misperceptions with regard to the implementation" of the new penal code.
"As evident for more than two decades, we have practised a de facto moratorium on the execution of death penalty for cases under the common law," he said.
"This will also be applied to cases under the [Islamic penal code], which provides a wider scope for remission."