Families of five Malaysian citizens facing the gallows in Singapore submit memorandum to High Commission

Family members of the death row inmates and civil society organisatio members gathered in front of the Singapore High Commission on July 25, 2019.

KUALA LUMPUR: The family members of five Malaysian citizens facing the noose for drug trafficking in Singapore are urging the republic to pardon them.

The family members, accompanied by civil society organisation members, submitted a memorandum to the Singapore High Commission on Thursday (July 25) morning.

The memorandum was addressed to Singapore president Halimah Yacob.

Four Malaysians – K. Datchinamurthy, A. Gobi, Abdul Helmi Ab Halim, and Rahmat Karimon – had their clemency pleas rejected in the past few weeks and face imminent execution.

Another Malaysian, P. Pannir Selvam, had a last-minute reprieve after his challenge of the clemency process was granted by the Singapore Court of Appeal in May.

"Madam president, most death row inmates are merely drug mules who were caught and sentenced to death while the drug kingpins and traffickers are still at large.

"The masterminds behind the drug trade will continue to find drug mules from those who are not well educated, ignorant or those who are desperate for quick money. Will executing any of these drug mules stop drug trafficking?" read the memorandum.

The memorandum requested that the Singapore government give the death row inmates a second chance and to empathise with their families.

"There is often a story of poverty or other social-economic ills associated with a drug mule. Spare the noose and give them a second chance," it read.

Lawyer N. Surendran, Geha Bodhi Care Centre chairman Lam Kai Cheong and the wife of Gobi, A. Parameswary were allowed into the High Commission to meet two of its representatives to submit the memorandum.

"They have promised to convey to their government but that's about it," Surendran, who is Lawyers for Liberty adviser, told reporters after the meeting.

He said that they wanted to send a message that Malaysians rejected the execution of drug mules.

"These are not drug kingpins. These are not Pablo Escobars that they are hanging. Singapore cannot pretend that they are putting an end to the drug trafficking problem by hanging poor Malaysian drug mules, most of whom were duped even if they are guilty," he said.

Among the other civil society organisations present include Amnesty International Malaysia, The Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH), Suaram as well as representatives of the Bar Council were also present.