Singapore hangs Malaysian on death row Kalwant Singh

Malaysian Kalwant Singh was executed in Singapore after his final bid to escape the gallows was rejected. - Photo from Kirsten Han's Twitter account.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian death row inmate Kalwant Singh has been executed in Singapore for drug trafficking on Thursday (July 7).

This comes after Kalwant's last-minute effort to escape the gallows was rejected by the courts in Singapore.

His death was confirmed by Singaporean human rights activist Kirsten Han in her tweets.

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Apart from Kalwant, Han said that Norasharee Gous, a Singaporean who was arrested and charged in relation to the same case, was also hanged for drug trafficking.

"Kalwant’s family are still at the prison. I am on my way to Norasharee’s funeral," Han said, noting that his family were handed his belongings and death certificate.

It was reported on June 30 that the authorities in Singapore issued the execution notice against Kalwant for the sentence to be carried out on July 7.

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Kalwant was arrested in Singapore in 2013 for possessing 60.15g of diamorphine including trafficking 120.9g of the substance.

He was convicted in 2016 and had been on death row since then.

On Wednesday (July 6) night, a group gathered for a candlelight vigil in front of the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur in an attempt to stop the execution.

Several participants were said to have chanted "save, save Kalwant" and "Singapore, stop the killing" while carrying placards bearing the message "#Putrajaya save Kalwant" and "we can live without the death penalty".

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On April 27, Singapore executed Malaysian death row inmate Nagaenthran Dharmalingam for drug trafficking despite local and international pleas.

Nagaenthran, 34, who was sentenced to death in 2010 for trafficking 42.72g of heroin into Singapore, was executed after the Court of Appeal dismissed a last-ditch challenge filed by his mother to set aside her son’s conviction and death sentence.

I am sad to be able to confirm the executions of both Kalwant Singh and Norasharee bin Gous. Both families have been handed their belongings and death certificates. Kalwant’s family are still in prison; I am on my way to Norasharee’s funeral. #deathpenalty #Singapore — Kirsten Han (@kixes) July 7, 2022