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Bernama reported today, 7 November that Ismail has asked Lee to look into staying the execution of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam in order to seek a fresh application for presidential clemency.
Nagaenthran’s application for presidential clemency was rejected on 1 June 2020.
He was arrested by Singaporean authorities on 22 April 2009, and charged with smuggling 42.72g of diamorphine into Singapore in a bundle strapped to his thigh at the Woodlands Checkpoint.
He was sentenced to death by the High Court of Singapore on 22 November 2010, despite testifying that he was coerced by a man who assaulted him and threatened to murder his girlfriend.
During a forensic psychiatric evaluation, Nagaenthran was also diagnosed with a borderline intellectual disability, with an IQ of 69. However, the court decided that Nagaenthran had still failed to prove his case.
Noting that he understands that the legal process has been exhausted, Ismail said he is appealing for leniency with the hope that it will be considered “purely on humanitarian grounds”, reported Malaysiakini.
“As a lawyer myself, I know that the legal and judicial systems of Malaysia and Singapore share many similarities. I believe there is still room for the government of Singapore to consider granting a stay of execution and allowing for a new petition for presidential clemency in the case of Mr Nagaenthran a/l K Dharmalingam,” he wrote in the letter, according to MalaysiaNow.
The letter addressed to Lee was dated 3 November.
According to Malaysiakini, Nagaenthan’s Malaysian counsel N Surendran explained they are challenging the execution on grounds that it is unconstitutional for Singapore to execute a “mentally disabled person”.
The constitutional challenge is set to be heard in the Singapore High Court on at 2:30pm tomorrow.
“If successful, the execution will stay as we are seeking a prohibitory order in respect of the execution,” Surendran was quoted as saying by the portal today.
The letter was made public in a Facebook post by Nagaenthran’s Singapore-based lawyer M Ravi, who called the execution “despicable”, especially with Deepavali drawing close.
“How insensitive [are] the prison authorities to tell his family to come to Singapore and prepare for his funeral during Deepavali?” Ravi questioned.
The letter, dated 26 October from the Singapore Prison Service and addressed to Panchalai Supermaniam who lives in Ipoh, then went viral, with VICE World News first reporting about it.
It reads: “Please be informed that the death sentence passed on your son, Nagaenthran A/L K Dharmalingam, will be carried out on 10 November 2021 (Wednesday).”
The prison authorities also states that they will help facilitate the family’s visit from Malaysia and listed Singapore’s COVID-19 requirements for travellers.