The family of Sarawakian Michael Garing, who is facing execution in Singapore for murder this coming Friday, has filed an urgent clemency petition to the republic's president.

Lawyers for Liberty advisor N Surendran, in a statement, said the petition dated yesterday was hand-delivered this morning by Michael's brother and his parents to the Istana.

"Singapore law does not prevent a fresh petition of clemency from being lodged with the president.

"In the petition, Michael's parents have asked for his life to be spared. They also apologised to the family of the victim of the crime," said Surendran, adding that the couple further pleaded for mercy, to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad told a press conference in Parliament that the government is striving to save the 30-year-old.

“We are trying to save his life. As we know, in Malaysia now, people think that the death penalty is excessive. So, we hope that other countries will also look at it that way," Mahathir had said.

Surendran thanked Mahathir for making such an announcement and expressed hope that the Singapore government will seriously consider Michael’s parents’ clemency petition, as well as Mahathir's appeal.

Michael had been part of a gang that severely injured three persons and killed a fourth in a slashing spree in Kallang, Singapore in 2010.

He was convicted of murder by the Singapore High Court in 2015 and sentenced to death, while another suspect, Tony Imba, was sentenced to life in prison. Michael's conviction was affirmed by the Court of Appeal in 2017.