KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 — The Malaysian government must intervene over Singapore's refusal to let lawyers confer with two Malaysians sentenced to die there, said PKR MP N. Surendran.

The Padang Serai lawmaker, who is also representing S. Prabagaran and K. Datchinamurthy here, said access to the two were imperative in pursuing their separate appeals against their death sentences for drug trafficking in the city state.

"Our applications for access were rejected by the Singapore Prison Services without any reasons being given,” he said in a statement today.

"Access to lawyers and to the courts is a fundamental right, which cannot be interfered with.”

Surendran pointed out that Malaysia allowed a Singaporean lawyer to confer with a compatriot who was sentenced to death here, and said Putrajaya should press its southern neighbour to follow suit.

Singapore has denied lawyers access to Prabagaran and Datchinamurthy since February.

Datchinamurty was found guilty by Singapore's High Court for dealing 44.96g of diamorphine (pure heroin) in 2015.

Prabagaran was arrested with over 20g of banned opiates in 2012, and subsequently convicted of drug trafficking and given the mandatory death sentence.

Their lawyers claim both men received "unfair trials” in Singapore and are appealing the death sentences.