Man on Singapore death row granted stay of execution under new law

An activist holds a candle and a placard during a vigil against the impending execution of Malaysian national Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, sentenced to death for trafficking heroin into Singapore, outside the Singaporean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. - AP

SINGAPORE: A Malaysian national was granted a stay of execution on Feb 19, under a new Singapore law that provides clarity on when the death sentence may be carried out after all avenues of appeal have been exhausted.

Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, who was convicted in 2017 of importing 51.84g of heroin into Singapore and sentenced to the mandatory death penalty, was scheduled to be executed on Feb 20 before the Court of Appeal granted the stay to have his applications heard.