Execution of a convicted drug importer

1.   The capital sentence of death imposed on Pannir Selvam A/L Pranthaman (“Pannir”) was carried out on 8 October 2025. 

2.  Pannir, a 38-year-old Malaysian, was convicted of importing into Singapore, not less than 51.84 grammes of diamorphine, or pure heroin. On 3 September 2014, Pannir rode a motorcycle through Woodlands Checkpoint and was stopped for a random check by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers. The back seat compartment of the motorcycle was found to contain one packet of granular/powdery substance; three packets of granular/powdery substance were found at his groin area.

3.   The Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) provides for the death penalty if the amount of diamorphine imported is more than 15 grammes. 51.84 grammes of diamorphine is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 620 abusers for a week.

4.   Pannir was accorded full due process under the law, and was represented by legal counsel during the trial and appeal. 

a. Pannir was convicted and sentenced to death on 2 May 2017. He was not issued a Certificate of Substantive Assistance (CSA).

b. He appealed against his conviction and sentence, and the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal on 9 February 2018.

5.   Following the dismissal of his appeal, Pannir was involved in 11 post-appeal applications, seven of which were joint applications with other prisoners awaiting capital punishment. All of these applications have been dismissed or resolved.

6.   Pannir’s six petitions to the President for clemency were rejected.

7.   Pannir was first scheduled for execution on 24 May 2019. On 21 May 2019, Pannir filed a last-minute application for his execution to be stayed, so he could challenge the rejection of his clemency petition. The Court of Appeal (“CA”) granted a stay for Pannir to file his challenge. Pannir eventually filed an application seeking judicial review of, among other things, the PP’s non-issuance of a CSA to him. His challenge was dismissed by the CA on 26 November 2021. In particular, the CA found that there was no evidence that the information Pannir provided was useful to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB).

8.   Pannir was subsequently scheduled for execution on 20 February 2025. On 17 February 2025, Pannir sought a second stay of execution to make another application against his capital sentence. The CA granted the stay of execution, pending the determination of this application. The application was dismissed by the CA on 5 September 2025.

9.   On 27 September 2025, CNB facilitated the Malaysian Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID)’s request to interview Pannir. A CNB officer was present during the interview. Nothing in the information provided by Pannir to NCID during the interview was new to CNB; all the information had previously been provided to the CNB by Pannir before 20 February 2019, which was when he last provided information through written representations made by his solicitors to the Attorney-General's Chambers. After the interview, NCID was informed that MHA will proceed with the application of the law in respect of Pannir.

10.   The Malaysian authorities have since confirmed in Parliament on 7 October 2025 that the information Pannir provided to the NCID on 27 September 2025 had “no operational value” and there was “no room to pursue the case further”.

11.   Singapore’s laws apply equally to all, regardless of a person’s nationality or background. In particular, foreigners who hope to make money off Singaporeans by importing or trafficking drugs in Singapore, must face the consequences of breaking our laws.

12.   Capital punishment is imposed only for the most serious crimes, such as the importation or trafficking of significant quantities of drugs, which causes very serious harm, not just to individual drug abusers, but also to their families and the wider society. The vast majority of Singaporeans support the death penalty for such crimes. Every country has the sovereign right to determine its own criminal justice system and penalties, taking into account its own circumstances and in accordance with its international law obligations. 

Central Narcotics Bureau
08 October 2025