Malaysian in death row accorded process - Singapore PM

 

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan have replied to their Malaysian counterparts to convey that the Malaysian awaiting execution for a drug offence in the republic has been accorded full due process under the law.

This is according to a statement issued by the republic’s Foreign Affairs Ministry in response to media queries on the appeal letters from Malaysian leaders on the judicial execution of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, a 33-year-old Malaysian from Perak.

Both Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah had earlier written to their Singapore counterparts, requesting for the discretion of the authorities in Singapore to grant Presidential Clemency to Nagaenthran.

Saifuddin was reported saying: "In this case, I have to repeat, we can apply, through our means, (by) sending a letter, but we cannot interfere in terms of the affairs and legal processes in Singapore," he told reporters adding that Malaysia respects Singapore's legal process.

Nagaenthran was arrested by Singaporean authorities on April 22, 2009, for smuggling 42.72g of diamorphine and was sentenced to death by the High Court of Singapore on Nov 22, 2010.

The appeal process through the court has already been made by Nagaenthran’s family lawyer up to the final stage, which is the Presidential Clemency that was rejected on June 1, 2020.

Nagaenthran, who has been on death row for 11 years and was scheduled to be hanged on Nov 10, 2021, however, found temporary respite on Nov 9 after the court was told he had tested positive for Covid-19 when he appeared for a last-bid attempt against his sentence.

Following the dramatic turn of events, Nagaenthran was granted a further stay of execution by the Court of Appeal.

- Bernama