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MADPET urges immediate abolition of detention without trial laws following mandatory death penalty repeal

Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET) has urged the immediate repeal of Detention Without Trial (DWT) laws in Malaysia following the abolition of mandatory death penalty. MADPET highlights laws like POCA, POTA, and the Dangerous Drugs Act as draconian and contrary to the presumption of innocence. The organization calls for a speedy repeal during the upcoming parliamentary session and emphasizes the need to uphold fair trials and protect individual rights.

MHA responds to Branson’s call to halt Tangaraju’s execution, accusing him for “disrespect” for Singapore’s judges

On Monday (24 Apr), British tycoon Richard Branson urged Singapore to halt the imminent execution of Tangaraju Suppiah, a Singaporean who sentenced to death over one kilogram of cannabis, saying it “may be about to kill an innocent man”. “Tangaraju was actually not anywhere near these drugs at the time of his arrest. This was largely a circumstantial case that relied on inferences,” Branson, who is a member of the Geneva-based Global Commission on Drug Policy, wrote on his blog. “Killing those at the lowest rungs of the illicit drug supply chain… is hardly effective in curbing an international trade worth hundreds of billions every year,” he said, adding he hoped authorities would review the case. Tangaraju, aged 46, is set to be hanged on Wednesday (26 Apr), according to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) of Singapore. However, Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) defended that the evidence clearly showed that Tangaraju was “coordinating the delivery of drugs for trafficking”, despite the suggestion that he was innocent because he was “not anywhere near the drugs at the time of his arrest”.

Human rights lawyer M Ravi urges Singaporeans to speak out against Tangaraju Suppiah’s execution

Human rights lawyer M Ravi has called on Singaporeans to speak out against the impending execution of Tangaraju Suppiah, a Singaporean convicted and sentenced to death in 2018 for abetting by conspiracy to traffic 1,017.9g of cannabis. In a Facebook live video, Ravi highlighted several troubling aspects of Tangaraju’s case, including his lack of access to an interpreter and legal counsel during his trial. Ravi also pointed out that Tangaraju did not have access to counsel when his statements were taken, and he suggested that Tangaraju’s case was indicative of broader issues within Singapore’s legal system. Ravi called on Singaporean society to speak out against the execution and argued that it was incumbent on all citizens to stand together to end the practice of the death penalty. He further stressed that the execution would not bring any closure and would be meaningless as the death penalty does not deter drug trafficking. Ravi called on Singaporeans to write to their MPs or the ministers, even the Prime Minister, to stop the execution. Tangaraju’s execution is scheduled to take place on 26 April.

Branson urges Singapore to halt execution of cannabis convict

British tycoon Richard Branson has urged Singapore to halt the imminent execution of Tangaraju Suppiah, a man sentenced to death for “abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic” over one kilogram of cannabis. Mr Branson, a member of the Geneva-based Global Commission on Drug Policy, said Tangaraju’s case was largely circumstantial. The Asian financial hub has some of the world’s toughest anti-narcotics laws and insists the death penalty remains an effective deterrent against trafficking. “Killing those at the lowest rungs of the illicit drug supply chain… is hardly effective in curbing an international trade worth hundreds of billions every year,” Mr Branson said, adding he hoped authorities would review the case.

Lawmakers urge ASEAN to negotiate new agreement with Myanmar junta, citing failure of five-point consensus

Lawmakers from Southeast Asia are urging ASEAN to acknowledge the failure of the Five-Point Consensus signed with Myanmar’s junta in April 2021. The agreement aimed to put an end to violence, promote dialogue, appoint a special envoy, provide humanitarian assistance and organize a visit to Myanmar to meet with all parties. According to ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) Chair Mercy Barends, recent airstrikes in the Sagaing region show the junta’s unwillingness to adhere to the agreement. APHR Co-chair Charles Santiago called for a new agreement that includes the National Unity Government and the representatives of ethnic minorities.

Tangaraju’s family calls on President Halimah Yacob to halt his imminent execution

The family of Tangaraju s/o Suppiah, along with Singaporeans and family members of other prisoners on death row, are calling on President Halimah Yacob to stop his execution and review his conviction and sentence. Activists have raised concerns about the evidence used to convict Tangaraju and argue that his case does not meet the standard of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’. If he is hanged on 26 April, it will be Singapore’s first execution in six months.

Najib can be liability to UMNO to win back Malay support as they push for his royal pardon, says political analyst

Political analysts in Malaysia have expressed their opinions on the recent movement by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) to seek a royal pardon for their former president, Najib Razak. Some analysts believe that Najib’s return could pose a liability to UMNO, as not all members are in favour of his comeback. The younger generation is concerned about issues such as the economy and the practice of democracy in Malaysian politics, which UMNO will need to address to maintain support. UMNO supporters believe that Najib still has influence and can ignite the “Bossku” trend. However, the fragmented Malay votes have affected UMNO’s declining support, and the internal power struggle within the party is causing further division. The upcoming six state elections will be crucial for UMNO to regain their support, especially in constituencies with a significant non-Malay voter population. These state elections will be an indicator for the next General Election in 2026, and the results will show how satisfied people are with the Unity Government.

The first execution notice of 2023

In this article, Kirsten Han discusses the case of Tangaraju, a man in Singapore who has been sentenced to mandatory death for his involvement in drug trafficking. Despite numerous issues with his case, including being questioned without a lawyer and not given an interpreter when he asked for one, Tangaraju has been given an execution notice. Han argues that Singapore’s harsh “zero tolerance” approach to drugs not only fails to address the root causes of drug use but also causes immense harm to individuals and communities. She urges people to take action to prevent Tangaraju’s execution and to push for the abolition of the death penalty and the adoption of harm reduction policies.

Singaporean activist and human rights lawyer raise concerns over impending execution amid troubling case detail

Singaporean activist Kokila Annamalai took to Facebook to express her concerns about the scheduled execution of Tangaraju Suppiah, who was convicted for abetting an attempt to traffic cannabis into Singapore. Annamalai argued that Suppiah was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty despite never handling the drugs he was convicted of trafficking. She also highlighted that Suppiah was denied a Tamil interpreter and legal representation during his police interrogation. Human rights lawyer M Ravi, who represented Suppiah in the past, called for reform in the legal system, emphasizing the vulnerability of the poor and marginalized in death penalty cases.

BERSIH urges Anwar to prioritise Malaysia’s institutional reform to ensure stability of the Govt

Thomas Fann, the chairman of The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH), has urged Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to prioritize institutional reforms to ensure stability in the government. Fann called for reforms that promote political stability and inclusivity, including granting equal rights to backbenchers and opposition MPs in Parliament. He highlighted that while the anti-hopping law has been put into action, other reforms such as political financing and fair allocation of resources are still pending. Fann also warned that failure to implement these reforms could lead to further turmoil and instability in government.