SINGAPORE, July 29(BSS/AFP) - Singapore has received a clemency appeal from the Malaysian government for a drug trafficker facing the death penalty in the city-state, the foreign ministry said.

The appeal was sent by Malaysia's foreign minister, a Singapore foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement issued late Wednesday.

Responding to media queries, the spokesman "confirmed that
the ministry has received a letter of appeal for clemency for
Yong Vui Kong from Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman".

"The letter of appeal has been referred to the legal
authorities," the spokesman added.

Yong faces the death penalty, which is carried out by
hanging, after he was convicted in 2008 of trafficking 47 grams
(1.65 ounces) of heroin into Singapore.

Both Malaysia and Singapore have tough anti-drug laws and
rarely seek clemency for nationals facing drug charges in the
other country.

But Anifah spoke out after Singapore's highest court in May
rejected an appeal against the death sentence from Yong, who was
19 when he was caught.

In Singapore, the death penalty is mandatory for anyone
caught trafficking more than 15 grams of heroin, 30 grams of
cocaine or 500 grams of cannabis.

Amnesty International has said Singapore, with a population
of nearly five million, has one of the highest per capita
execution rates in the world. It put 420 people to death between
1991 and 2004.