The family of Malaysian death row inmate Pannir Selvam Pranthaman says the alleged mastermind in his drug case has been arrested by Malaysian police, prompting fresh appeals to delay his execution scheduled for the early hours of Wednesday, Oct 8, 2025.
Pannir’s sister, Angelia Pranthaman, said Bukit Aman officers recently interviewed Pannir at Singapore’s Changi Prison on Sept 27, following sustained pressure from activists and the family to expose an international syndicate that “used him as a pawn”.
She said the 38-year-old has become an anti-drug advocate from behind bars, producing poetry, songs and awareness campaigns.
“These cartels don’t stop at one victim. We want Malaysians, especially youths, to stay alert and report syndicates,” she said.
Convicted in 2017 for importing 33.34g of diamorphine into Singapore, Pannir’s legal team has filed a request to defer the execution, citing significant new developments.
At the same event, Bukit Gelugor MP Ram Karpal Singh said a senior Bukit Aman team interviewed Pannir for nearly three hours and that Malaysian police have opened an active investigation.
Pannir provided information on individuals believed to have handed him the drugs in Malaysia, he said.
“There is a reasonable likelihood that Pannir’s information could lead to prosecutions. If so, he would be a key witness against a major syndicate,” Ram said, warning that executing Pannir before the probe concludes would silence a crucial witness and embolden cross-border traffickers.
He urged home minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to confirm the investigation’s status “in less than 48 hours” before the scheduled execution, and appealed to Singapore to consider a delay in the interest of justice.
Lawyers for Pannir in Malaysia have also written to Bukit Aman’s CID seeking an official update. Advocates argue his cooperation may be critical to dismantling a network that targets vulnerable individuals.
