Singapore has been urged to allow lawyers of Malaysian death row prisoner S Prabagaran to meet with him.

Lawyers N Surendran and Latheefa Koya said Singapore Prison Services had issued a letter on Feb 13 rejecting their application to see their client, who is currently incarcerated in Singapore.

"We deeply regret this refusal by the Singapore authorities.

"We are entitled to meet and consult with Prabagaran as we are acting for him in legal matters arising from his conviction for drug trafficking in Singapore.

"Our client maintains his innocence of those charges," said the duo in a statement today.

"The right to have access to and consult with lawyers is a basic right recognised under both Singapore and Malaysian law.

"Denial of access to lawyers is also in breach of Article 14(3)(d) of the ICCPR," said Surendran and Latheefa.

Need to discuss review matters

The lawyers said they need to consult with their client, after filing a judicial review application in the KL High Court to compel the Malaysian government to institute proceedings in the International Court of Justice against Singapore for breach of Prabagaran's right to fair trial.

"It is imperative we consult with him over those proceedings," said the duo.

They urged Singapore to review their decision and allow them "immediate access" to Prabagaran.

"The urgency of the matter is enhanced by the fact that our client is facing execution, having exhausted appeals within the Singapore legal system," they said.

They also urged the Malaysian government to make the necessary representations to the Singapore government to resolve the matter.

Prabagaran was on Sept 22, 2014, found guilty of bringing 22.24g of diamorphine, the pure form of heroin, into Singapore and sentenced to death.

He was arrested in the early morning of April 12, 2012, at the Woodlands Checkpoint while driving into the republic.

The then-27-year-old claimed trial, saying he was unaware of the bundles of diamorphine the authorities had found in his car.

Surendran has called for Prabagaran's death sentence to be stopped, citing concerns he did not receive a fair trial.