Wisma Putra had been closely monitoring the developments and providing consular assistance

by FAYYADH JAAFAR / pic by BERNAMA

MALAYSIA respects the Singaporean legal system’s decision over the case of Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, a Malaysian who was sentenced to death yesterday morning for trafficking heroin into Singapore.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry (Wisma Putra) said it had been closely monitoring the developments of the case since Nagaenthran’s arrest in April 2009 and had provided consular assistance to ensure his rights and welfare were always preserved.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah this week had sent another letter to their Singaporean counterparts this week to ask the latter to reconsider and lighten the sentence.

“The letter also expressed the Malaysian government’s willingness to discuss the implementation of an International Prisoner Transfer Programme between Malaysia and Singapore,” Wisma Putra said in a statement yesterday.

The first letter was sent in November 2021 while in December 2021, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had also written a letter to the republic’s president for a lesser sentence for Nagaenthran.

Nevertheless, the ministry expressed the Malaysian government’s appreciation to Singapore for the assistance provided during Nagaenthran’s detention and trial.

“The ministry also appreciates the involvement of NGOs and groups for their efforts in trying to reduce the sentence, besides their initiative to abolish the death sentence.

“The government, through the Malaysian consulate in Singapore, will continue to assist Nagaenthran’s family,” it added.

Nagaenthran, an intellectually impaired man, was on death row for more than 10 years for trafficking 44g of heroin into Singapore.

He was executed in the republic after his mother’s last-ditch legal challenge was rejected.

His brother Navin Kumar confirmed to the media that the execution had been carried out and the funeral would be held in Ipoh.

The case had attracted international calls for clemency and had drawn the support of foreign personalities including British business magnate Sir Richard Branson and actor Stephen Fry, who pleaded for Singapore to spare his life.