Agong wrote to Singapore President on Nagaenthran’s behalf, Dewan Rakyat told
YANG di-Pertuan Agong Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had written to Singapore President Halimah Yacob appealing for clemency for a Malaysian who has been sentenced to hang in the island republic, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
“We tried all we could to help and I can reveal that apart from the foreign minister and the prime minister, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had also written to the Singapore president for the sentence to be reduced for a certain case, or the individual to be freed,” deputy foreign minister Kamarudin Jaffar told the Dewan Rakyat on Nov 23, referring to Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam.
Kamarudin said this when winding up the Supply Bill 2022 at the committee stage in reply to Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto had asked about Putrajaya’s plans to uphold human rights in the country.
Earlier this month, a Singapore court stayed until further notice the execution of Nagaenthran on the grounds of “common sense and humanity” after confirming he had tested positive for COVID-19.
Nagaenthran, who is said to have an IQ of 69 and to suffer from intellectual disability, was detained in 2009 for trafficking in 42.72gm of heroin and was set to be executed on Nov 9.
The court had convened for a ruling on a last-ditch appeal that argued the Malaysian should not be hanged because he was not of sound mind.
Appeals for a stay of execution for Nagaenthran have come from many quarters, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, rapporteurs from the United Nations (UN) and even celebrities such as British business magnate Richard Branson. – Nov 26, 2021
I seriously doubt if the Singapore government will accede to the pleas. As I postulated, no government in the world would want to be seen as giving way to pressure be it local or foreign.
ReplyDeleteAnd the latest news is that another Malaysian had his appeal against his conviction for drug trafficking dismissed and has received the death penalty. A Singaporean was also sentenced to death while another Malaysian was sentenced to life imprisonment for his part.
While I personally am against the death penalty, we should see from Singapore's perspective. To the Singaporeans, if they give way to one case, they will have to give way to other cases too.
Moreover, if Malaysians want to "take on" the Singapore government by continually committing these types of crimes, the Singapore government has to stand firm to show they mean business.
I believe when a nation's king appeal for clemency, it would be gracious to consider such an appeal, and not succumbing to foreign pressure. But let's see and hope
DeleteLike you KT, I hope the Singapore President will show sympathy and empathy to grant clemency.
DeleteMy point however, was that based on my observation of how Singapore works, they are unlikely to give in to, what they consider, pressure.