The executions of two brothers who were convicted for a murder they committed 12 years ago, have been postponed following an eleventh-hour plea for clemency by their family.

Uma Mutukrisnan, the brother of B Rames, 45, and B Suthar, 40, confirmed with Malaysiakini that the duo's execution, which was due at the Kajang prison at 6am today, has been postponed. 

Yesterday, the brothers and their 70-year-old mother had petitioned the Negri Sembilan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, pleading for the ruler to commute the sentence or replace it with a life sentence (20 years). 

The duo were on death row for a murder in Port Dickson that occurred 12 years ago and have exhausted all legal avenues to appeal.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Uma said the family was informed about the postponement by an officer from the Kajang prison. 

The brothers' newly-appointed lawyer, M Haresh, had also sent a petition to the deputy director of the Kajang prison yesterday. 

He said today that the petitions sent had been been acknowledged both by the prison, and the Negeri Sembilan state government. 

Malaysiakini also contacted the Kajang prison, where a male staff confirmed the postponement of the execution, but declined to elaborate, before passing the conversation to the security secretariat department.

However, an officer from the department said they cannot confirm the postponement of the executions.

Amnesty International Malaysia executive director K Shamini Darshni confirmed the postponement to Malaysiakini, saying they were with the brothers' family at the Kajang prison this morning.

AI grateful for 'act of mercy'

She lauded the temporary halt to the executions and expressed gratitude to the Negeri Sembilan ruler for the "act of mercy".

"The intervention by the palace now allows the brothers' lawyers, time to work on the case further," she later said in a statement. 

Shamini also expressed concern over the "lack of transparency" surrounding executions in Malaysia, citing the minimal notice of execution given to the families of the condemned. 

In the clemency letter yesterday, lawyer P Uthayakumar, who had penned the letter, said the brothers had already been punished enough, both mentally and physically, during their lengthy imprisonment.

He also noted that the brothers had no criminal record and said the duo had behaved well and turned to religion to repent for their past actions, while being incarcerated.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Bar called for sufficient time to be given to the brothers' legal team for the clemency application process.

"We are informed that the lawyers for the brothers are currently exploring a further or a new avenue to support their petition for clemency.

"Sufficient time and opportunity must be given for them to exhaust this fresh ground before any sentence is meted out. The brothers must not be denied due process, and the execution of the death penalty must never be rushed or expedited," Malaysian Bar president Steven Thiru said in a statement tonight.

Thiru urged the government to allow for clemency proceedings to be completed and to commute the death sentences to life imprisonment.

He said the Malaysian Bar does not condone or excuse crimes, but is against the death penalty.

"We repeat our call to the government to declare and implement an immediate moratorium on any and all executions, pending the outcome of the government’s reported ongoing review of the death penalty," Thiru said.