Ramkarpal Halt Pannir S Execution He S Key Witness In Drug Probe

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DAP national legal bureau chairperson Ramkarpal Singh urged the Singapore government to halt the execution of Malaysian death-row inmate Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, citing the latter’s role as a key witness in an ongoing police probe.
Ramkarpal said the Malaysian police are still investigating the drug syndicate which Pannir operated as a mule for.
In a statement today, the Bukit Gelugor MP explained that several police officers from Bukit Aman were granted access to Pannir at Changi Prison on Sept 27.
“There can be no doubt that Pannir is actively assisting the authorities in Malaysia in the apprehension of individuals that may be part of a larger syndicate supplying drugs, both domestically and also in Singapore,” said the former deputy law minister.
Malaysian death-row inmate Pannir Selvam PranthamanEarlier today, lawyer N Surendran said Pannir will be executed on Wednesday (Oct 8).
He said Pannir’s family was informed about the matter by Singapore authorities this morning.
If Singapore proceeds with its plan, Pannir would be the second Malaysian that the republic executes in less than two weeks.
K Datchinamurthy, also convicted over a drug trafficking offence, was executed in Singapore on Sept 25.
In Ramkarpal’s statement, he also urged Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to confirm that the investigation into Pannir is underway.
Saifuddin should also confirm Pannir’s status as a key witness in the investigation, he added.
“Executing Pannir now, before the Royal Malaysia Police completes its investigation, would only embolden syndicates to continue their operations and continue to use unsuspecting, vulnerable Malaysians and Singaporeans as drug mules - while the masterminds remain at large,” he said.
Allowing those responsible to escape legal consequences through Pannir’s execution would be a grave injustice, he added.
ADSOn death row
According to Bernama, Pannir was convicted by the High Court on May 2, 2017, for importing not less than 51.84g of diamorphine into Singapore and was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty.
His appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on Feb 9, 2018, and his clemency petition to the Singapore president was rejected.
Pannir was granted a stay of execution twice. The first was in May 2019, on the basis that he intended to challenge the rejection of his clemency petition and the public prosecutor’s decision not to issue a certificate of substantive assistance to him.
The second stay of execution was granted in February 2025, pending the determination of a post-appeal application in a capital case (PACC).
His bid for a stay of execution was later dismissed by the Singapore Court of Appeal on Sept 6. - Mkini

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