Singapore to block access to news outlet MalaysiaNow over failure to comply with POFMA order

It also claimed the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) secretly facilitated an interview of Pannir by the Malaysian police, during which a CNB officer wore a Malaysia police uniform and hid his identity as a CNB officer.

The article additionally falsely stated that Singapore Prison Service (SPS) officers tried to deceive Pannir’s family into signing a form stating that all of Pannir’s belongings had been handed over to them.

According to MHA, Pannir was not granted a certificate of substantive assistance as the public prosecutor concluded that he had not provided substantive assistance to CNB. 

Pannir’s legal challenge against the public prosecutor’s decision not to issue a certificate of substantive assistance was also dismissed by the Court of Appeal in November 2021.

Under the law, a person facing a capital charge of drug trafficking or importation may be sentenced to life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.

This is provided that the following requirements are met: Involvement is limited to that of being a courier as defined in section 33B(2)(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, and the public prosecutor has issued a certificate of substantive assistance to certify to the court that, in his or her determination, the person has substantively assisted CNB in disrupting drug trafficking activities within or outside Singapore.

The determination of whether any person has substantively assisted CNB in disrupting drug trafficking activities is at the sole discretion of the public prosecutor, MHA added.