The petition, dated yesterday, was hand-delivered by Michael’s brother and other family members to the istana this morning.

According to Lawyers for Liberty adviser N Surendran, Singapore law does not prevent a fresh petition of clemency from being lodged with the president.

In the petition, Michael’s parents, Ensiring anak Garman and Garing anak Kanyan, asked for their son’s life to be spared.

“We humbly ask the president of Singapore for mercy and compassion to spare the life of our son Michael,” the petition read.

The parents also apologised to the family of the victim of the crime.

“We do not want to excuse our son’s offence but we ask for mercy. Please commute his sentence to life imprisonment,” they said.

Michael, 30, was reported to be part of a gang that went on a slashing spree while robbing people, killing a man and severely injuring three, in Kallang, Singapore. in 2010.

Surendran said Lawyers for Liberty appreciated the announcement by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that efforts were being made for the commutation of the death sentence.

“We hope the president of Singapore and the Singapore government will give serious consideration to the parents’ clemency petition on behalf of Michael, and the appeal of Tun Mahathir and our government,” he said in a statement.

“Pending consideration of these matters, we respectfully ask that the Singapore authorities stay the execution planned for Friday.”