IPOH: Behind prison walls, death row inmate Pannir Selvam Pranthaman found a light that changed not only his life but the lives of many around him.
Through tears, his sister P. Sangkari, 41, said Pannir – who was executed in Singapore on Wednesday (Oct 8) – spent his years in confinement turning repentance into purpose, guiding fellow inmates, writing letters of hope, and founding NGO Sebaran Kasih to support those in need.
She said Pannir is not just a name in the news, but a son, a brother, a friend, and a man with a kind heart who made mistakes but chose redemption.
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“For the past few years, he lived with deep reflection, prayer and purpose.
“He told me once, ‘Akka’ (sister in Tamil), I don’t want my story to end in bitterness. If my life can stop one person from making the same mistake, then it will have meaning’,” she said in her eulogy during his funeral at the Word of Life Centre Church in Taman Rishah here on Friday (Oct 10).
Pannir Selvam, 38, was convicted by the High Court on May 2, 2017, for importing not less than 51.84g of diamorphine into Singapore and given the mandatory death penalty.
Sangkari said through his writings, charity work and spiritual devotion, Pannir Selvam became a quiet force for good behind bars.
“I want to remind others that change is possible, even from the darkest place. That’s who my brother was, a man of faith, compassion and courage.
“For six long years, our family has carried this weight, waiting, praying, believing that someone would see his heart the way we do.
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“My mother has cried every night for her son. Yet even through her tears, she says, God sees everything,” she said, adding that they are here to remind the world that mercy is strength.
Sangkari said that when a person changes, dedicates his life to good, and becomes a symbol of repentance and hope, he deserves a second chance.
She said her brother would help other inmates write letters, guide the youth, and serve others through faith.
“To the leaders who hold the power to decide (the fate of others), I plead with you to see humanity,” she said.
Sangkari said the family wished to remember Pannir Selvam not for the darkness of his past but the light he shared in his final years.
Pannir Selvam, the third of six children, is to be buried at the Papan Christian cemetery later on Friday.
