Abroad
M'sia recognises that due process has been respected: PM Wong & Anwar address death penalty for drug traffickers at Leaders' Retreat
"Once it is decided by the courts, we as a country, respect that," Anwar said.
December 04, 2025, 05:07 PM
The due processes under the law involved in the capital sentencing of Malaysian drug traffickers in Singapore were respected, Malaysia's prime minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Dec. 4.
Due processes respected
Speaking at the 12th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat in Singapore, Anwar was responding to a journalist's question about whether the issue of Singapore's capital punishments had been raised in discussions between both leaders.
He emphasised that like Singapore, Malaysia continues to take a "very strong stance" against drug issues, though they have chosen to do away with mandatory death penalties for related crimes.
"We must recognise the fact that the due process has been respected here," Anwar said.
"You have followed the due legal process, the right to defence, and once it is decided by the courts, we as a country respect that," he added.
He nonetheless asserted the rights of convicted offenders and their families to appeal the court's ruling on compassionate grounds, as have foreign governments done towards Malaysia.
"I truly understand and appreciate the tougher stance on the part of the Singapore government," he said.
In his response, PM Wong reiterated Singapore's strong stance against drugs, to help ensure that children can grow up in a drug-free environment.
"That's the approach we have taken, and that's the approach that Singapore will continue to take," he affirmed.
"It has not resulted in bilateral issues, it was not raised, but we hope that all countries understand why, the rationale for our strong stance and respect the way in which we can go about conducting our policies on this front," PM Wong added.
Singapore's death penalty
Singapore has recently enforced capital punishment on drug traffickers, some of whom happened to be Malaysians.
One recent example was Pannir Selvam Pranthaman on Oct. 8.
He was arrested in 2014 and convicted in 2017, but was granted a stay of execution twice, first in 2019 and again on Feb. 19 this year after his family's legal appeals.
Pannir's case drew protests in Malaysia and Singapore, as hundreds stood in vigil in an attempt to stop his execution.
Saminathan Selvaraju, a Malaysian, was also executed on Nov. 27.
Top images via Mothership
