SINGAPORE. GOVERNMENT REJECTS CLEMENCY FOR MAN ON DEATH ROW

Singapore's president rejected an appeal by the teenage children of Shanmugam Murugesu, a 38-year-old man on death row, saying he would not receive clemency and underlining the country's tough stand on drugs trafficking. Twins Gopalan and Krishnan Murugesu, on the advice of their father's lawyer, had handed out flyers in shopping districts seeking support for a petition against the execution, saying their father's death would make them orphans.
Shanmugam Murugesu was convicted of trafficking about 1 kg (2.2 lb) of cannabis after his arrest at Singapore's border with Malaysia in August 2003. He lost a high court appeal and his lawyer was seeking presidential clemency. In a letter obtained by reporters, Singapore's President S.R. Nathan said he had decided "after due consideration of the petitions and on the advice of the Cabinet...that the sentence of death should stand".