A DAP lawmaker has urged Putrajaya to intervene to stop the imminent execution of Malaysian Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, on Nov 10, in Singapore.

Batu Kawan MP Kasthuri Patto also urged the Malaysian government to appeal to its Singapore counterpart to commute the death sentence of Nagaenthran, who was convicted of trafficking in 42.72gm of diamorphine (heroin) into the island republic in 2011. He had been arrested two years earlier.

Kasthuri pointed out that Nagaenthran, as pointed out by his defence team, had borderline intellectual disability with an IQ of 69, and as such, he had compromised ability to rationalise a situation and to evaluate the risk of harm.

"While Singapore’s tough stand on drug-related offences is well known, can an establishment execute a man, a drug mule, who is mentally ill or intellectually disabled?" she said in a statement on her Facebook.

"No crime committed by any person shall be given special treatment and a free pass to walk but a man who has committed a crime, who clearly is mentally disabled, cannot and must not be executed," she added.



Last week, human rights groups Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, and Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) had made similar calls for the Singapore authorities to spare Nagaenthran, who was only 21 when he was arrested with the drugs.

Nagaenthran is set to be hanged in Changi prison in Singapore on Nov 10, and his family in Ipoh, Perak, has been notified of the execution.

An online petition pleading to Singapore President Halimah Yacob for clemency for Nagaenthran has garnered more than 20,000 signatures so far.


Photo source: Malaysiakini