Calls to Abolish Death Penalty Intensify Amid Controversy
As Malaysian drug trafficker Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam faces imminent execution following the dismissal of his final appeal on Tuesday, public opinion remains sharply divided. Some advocate for the abolition of the death penalty, while others stand by the Apex Court’s decision.
Nagaenthran, who has been on death row since his conviction in 2010, has gained international attention in the lead-up to his scheduled execution. Initially set for November 10, 2021, it was postponed after he tested positive for COVID-19 just a day prior.
With an IQ of 69 and reported intellectual disabilities, Nagaenthran’s case has drawn condemnation from organizations such as the International Bar Association, the European Union, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, all urging against his execution. High-profile figures, including Malaysia’s King Al-Sultan Abdullah, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, United Nations rapporteurs, and British businessman Richard Branson, have also called for clemency.
Despite several appeals over the years, including a clemency petition submitted by his mother, Panchalai, all have been rejected. On March 29, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon described the latest judgment as “baseless and without merit,” stating that there was no substantial evidence indicating a decline in Nagaenthran’s mental condition. His former lawyer, Mr. M Ravi, claimed that Nagaenthran’s mental age resembled that of a minor, but the Chief Justice criticized this assertion as based on a brief interaction lasting less than half an hour.
The Chief Justice emphasized that Nagaenthran has received due legal process, characterizing the legal maneuvers as a “blatant and egregious abuse of the court’s processes.”
Online reactions are mixed. While some netizens express disagreement with the judgment and advocate for the abolition of capital punishment, others support the Court of Appeal’s ruling. Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam noted on March 3 that a majority of Singaporeans still favor the death penalty, citing preliminary findings from a 2021 survey.
The exact date for Nagaenthran’s execution has yet to be announced. On March 29, Singapore conducted its first execution in over two years, with Abdul Kahar bin Othman, 68, who was sentenced to death in 2015 for trafficking diamorphine.
Concerns have emerged that the authorities may expedite executions to reduce the death row population. Activist Kirsten Han, who has campaigned against capital punishment for over a decade, highlighted the case of Abdul Kahar in a Facebook post, criticizing the systemic failures that led to his execution.
“After a childhood marked by poverty and hunger in one of Singapore’s poorest neighborhoods, Kahar was incarcerated repeatedly without receiving the necessary support,” she wrote. “Each release only led to further stress and relapse, culminating in a tragic failure by Singapore to provide the help he desperately needed.”
