PETALING JAYA: The family of P. Pannir Selvam are seeking to have his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment in Singapore.
Lawyer for the family N. Surendran said they had filed a judicial review to save the 31-year-old Malaysian’s life.
This is being done by challenging the clemency process as well the republic’s refusal to issue the certificate of substantive assistance.
Surendran said the clemency process in Pannir’s case was fundamentally flawed as the letter of his execution and another rejecting his clemency were both dated on the same day (17 May).
“This indicates a serious flaw, because surely the prison would not know that the clemency had been rejected when even the letter from the president’s office had not been issued out yet.
“The Singapore Court of Appeal did find that there were sufficient enough grounds to merit the stay of execution otherwise he would have been executed on May 24.
“This is one of the matters that we raised at the Singapore Court of Appeal when we were trying to get a stay of execution,” said Surendran.
He said it was also unfair for the Singapore Attorney- General’s Chambers (AGC) to not issue the certificate of substantive assistance as it decided the life or death of Pannir Selvam.
“Under Singapore law, the attorney-general can give the certificate of substantive assistance to say that the person convicted for drug related offence had assisted the authorities.
“If that is done then the court can give him a life imprisonment sentence instead of imposing the death sentence.
“It is clear that Pannir had assisted the authorities. He was duped by drug kingpins who were based in Malaysia.
“It is an unfair process because the AGC is holding the power of life and death of the victim.
“That is why we are challenging the failure of the AGC to issue the certificate,” he said.
Pannir was convicted of trafficking 51.84g of heroin through Woodlands Checkpoint in September 2014.
He was scheduled to be executed on May 24 at Changi Prison.
However, he received a stay of execution at the 11th hour.
Pannir’s brother P. Joshua, 30, is adamant that his elder sibling was tricked into smuggling the drugs.
“People had taken advantage of his kindness and he has been tricked into doing this,” he said. “He would never have done it intentionally.
“He is a caring and kind-hearted person.
“We grew up in a disciplined family and he was always active in school and sports as well.
“All we want is for his life to be spared.
“He does not deserve this kind of punishment.”
Pannir Selvam’s sister P. Angelia, 25, said their family had sacrificed their savings, property as well as careers to travel to Singapore see and assist their sibling in his hour of need.
“He is always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need even if they are strangers.
“That is why he was fooled into this,” she said.
She urged the public to sign a petition at www.savepannir.infoto save him from the death row.