Execution of Datchinamurthy Kataiah
HAYAT regrets the execution of Datchinamurthy Kataiah by Singapore for drug trafficking on 25 September 2025.
This execution is counterproductive towards the suppression of drug trafficking. Datchinamurthy’s case clearly indicates the presence and operation of a drug syndicate freely operating between Malaysia and Singapore. A person who allegedly provided instruction to Datchinamurthy and others was clearly identified but never apprehended by the authorities.
The executions of drug couriers and low-level operators will not deter, nor will they hamper, a transnational drug syndicate. If anything at all, such executions will only serve to empower and embolden drug trafficking, as any potential witnesses to their operations are effectively silenced and eliminated.
HAYAT rejects the use of the death penalty in its entirety for drug offences. Beyond being inhumane and irreversible, it is an ineffective tool against the drug trade. Executions do not disrupt syndicates, nor do they dismantle the systems that enable them to thrive. Instead, they cut off vital sources of intelligence and remove opportunities to pursue those higher in the chain of command of syndicates.
The continued reliance on the death penalty jeopardises the collective goal of combating the proliferation of illicit substances within ASEAN. These executions now ensure that Malaysia will no longer have the necessary information and witnesses to pursue action against the transnational drug syndicates that remain in Malaysia, which shall continue to supply Singapore.
Effective policies to suppress and challenge drug trafficking in the region require a balance of harm reduction policies and cooperation between neighbours. Malaysia and Singapore are both parties to the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, which empowers relevant authorities to cooperate and investigate transnational drug trafficking.
Both governments must urgently engage and deliberate on effective, sustainable, and just alternatives to the question of drug trafficking and the death penalty.
HAYAT offers our condolences to Datchinamurthy Kataiah’s family.
