Another Malaysian scheduled to hang in Singapore

Another Malaysian on death row in Singapore has been scheduled to hang on July 7, just a little over two months after the execution of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam which came despite an international outcry and amid increasing scrutiny of the republic’s use of the death penalty.

Kalwant Singh was arrested on drugs-related charges at the age of 23, and has spent the past nine years in prison.

He was convicted and sentenced to death on Oct 24, 2013 for trafficking in 60.15g of diamorphine.

Independent journalist Kirsten Han, who has been vocal against Singapore’s use of the death penalty, said this was the seventh execution notice issued so far this year.

Prominent rights lawyer M Ravi meanwhile called on the government to “stop its execution binge” and to impose a moratorium on all pending executions as the court was looking into a breach of confidentiality by the prison authorities in forwarding privileged and confidential correspondence to the attorney-general.

“What if the court rules that such breach of privileged communications has been systematic since the confidential communications of 13 inmates have already been compromised?

“This would then mean that the administration of justice concerning the death penalty has been brought into disrepute, thus rendering all executions unlawful,” Ravi said in a Facebook post today.

Kalwant’s date with the gallows follows that of Nagaenthran, who was executed on April 27 despite international outrage due to his mental disability.

He had an IQ of 69, a level recognised as a disability, and was reportedly coerced into committing the crime.