MHA Rejects Malaysian Media Claims That SG Are Targeting Malaysian Prisoners For Execution

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has strongly rejected claims by various Malaysian media reports that Singapore is targeting Malaysian prisoners for execution. This comes in the wake of several Malaysians already on death row in Singapore getting their clemency petitions rejected.

These Malaysian prisoners in Singapore are mostly drug convicts who have been sentenced to hang. MHA reiterated that Singapore’s laws “apply equally to all” regardless of whether the offender is a local or a foreigner. They also reminded all foreigners, be it Malaysians or other nationalities, to abide by Singapore’s laws, or expect to be charged in Singapore courts if they break the laws here.

MHA further clarified in the statement that “When a convict has been sentenced to death, the individual can submit a clemency petition to Singapore’s President, which would be “carefully considered on its own merits”. Thus the many clemency petition submitted on behalf of the Malaysians who have been sentenced to hang.

According to Malaysian news reports, there are currently 4 Malaysians drug convicts who have had their clemency petitions rejected and now face execution at Changi Prison. The four was part of the 10 death row inmates who had their clemency bids rejected in the last week. There were no mentions which other nationalities were among the 10 facing execution. A Malaysian lawyer even went as far as saying that the high number of rejections showed that Singapore is preparing for an execution binge. The lawyer also questioned whether each prisoner’s case was duly considered by Singapore’s President and Cabinet, given the unusually high number of rejected clemency bids.