The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Singapore issued an official statement on Saturday refuting an article published by a Malaysian news site regarding the treatment of Malaysian national Pannir Selvam A/L Pranthaman, or “Pannir.”
The ministry said that it is aware of the article published by MalaysiaNow on November 9, 2025, which contains false statements concerning the treatment of Pannir.
False statements according to MHA
According to the MHA, the false statements from the article include claims that Pannir’s execution was carried out without regard for the rule of law; the government’s decision not to issue a certificate of substantive assistance to Pannir was unlawful; the Central Narcotics Bureau (“CNB”) secretly facilitated an interview of Pannir by the Malaysian police and at the interview, a CNB officer wore a Malaysia police (PDRM) uniform and deliberately hid his identity as a CNB officer.
It also said that the Singapore Prison Service (“SPS”) officers attempted to mislead Pannir’s family into signing a form stating that all of Pannir’s belongings had been handed over to them.
The MHA countered it by stating that all prisoners awaiting capital punishment (PACP) are afforded due legal process and that an execution will only be scheduled when a PACP has exhausted all legal processes in relation to his conviction and sentence, and after the issue of clemency has been dealt with.
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Pannir’s decade-long battle
Pannir was a 38-year-old drug trafficker apprehended on September 3, 2014, through a random check by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers at a Woodlands Checkpoint.
He was caught in possession of one packet of granular/powdery substance in the back seat compartment of his motorcycle, and three packets of a similar substance concealed in his groin area.
According to reports, the substance weighed no less than 51.84 grammes of diamorphine, or pure heroin.
Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the punishment for importing more than 15 grammes of diamorphine constitutes a death penalty.
In an official statement by the Central Narcotics Bureau on October 8, 2025, “Pannir was accorded full due process under the law, and was represented by legal counsel during the trial and appeal.”
On May 2, 2017, he was convicted and sentenced to death.
Pannir tried for an appeal, but the court dismissed it on February 9, 2018.
He was also included in 11 other post-appeal applications, all of which have been dismissed or resolved.
His execution was carried out on October 8, 2025.
Angelica N. Hall 
Shameeka Voyiya 
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