A city of possibilities
Thursday, 4 September 2008, 8:06 am | 37 views
If you are rich in Singapore, you can get away with anything, even someone else’s kidney. Money talks, bullshit walks.
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An emotional Jannie Tay, President of Singapore Retailers Association, appearing outside Court House, as captured by Channel News Asia, remarked “Why should he be jailed at all?” It was an exceptionally shameful outburst! Didn’t she know the law at all? Must the law be bent to suit the rich?Didn’t she know that the Indonesian donor who received not a single cent but was sentenced to 2 weeks’ jail? I sympathized more with the Indonesian. What a world of difference- poor and helpless versus rich and powerful!
He should made also to compensate in monetary terms to the Indonesian that has been jailed.
When the indonesian seller gets 2 weeks jail and additional weeek’s jail because he can’t pay the fine whereas that CK Tang boss was jailed for a day not for trying to buy a kidney but for lying to the Commissioner of Oaths, I’m sure other patients on kidney dialysis will be more than happy to try to buy kidneys in future and remember not to lie to the Commissioner of Oaths so no jail time after getting the kidney!
How does the sentencing discourage patients? The judge should attend a basic economics class to learn that demand drives the supplies of goods instead of agreeing to the bullshit that the defense attorney has put forward. Also surprisingly, the persecutors asked for a short jail term not for trying to buy a kidney but for lying to the Commissioner of Oaths and asked for just a fine for trying to buy a kidney. Hmm… how strange, everyone seems to be so agreeable in the courtroom.
I hope that the concerned parties read these comments.
The statement passed by Ms Jannie Tay is wrong. Rich or poor, the law is the law and no one should be above the law. By saying “Why should Mr Tang be jailed at all” is certainly out of line.
Yes, the court should show mercy when delivering the judgement and it did just that. The fact of Mr Tang’s ailing health should certainly be considered when handing down the sentence. The offences were very serious in nature and the “1 day” jail is nothing but a token sentence and the S$17,000 fine is a drop of water in the ocean for him. I am certain Mr Tang knows the gravity of the charges and accept it with gratification. I do not know him as an individual but in view of its mitigating factors, the public should also show some compassion.
Yes, I agree that some form of goodwill monetary compensation should be made to the two men sentenced to jail as otherwise the comments posted above will be justified.
I hope that should there be other cases in future with such mitigating factors the courts will also be merciful regardless whether the person is rich or poor, charitable or otherwise.
The law applies to everyone.
Lately we have seen all the double standards, I was even more appalled when the MSM featured issue about Serangoon gardens residents protesting the setting up of a foriegn worker dormitary. Well this are FTs as well and human being at that. Why can’t they be housed in Serangoon. So the rich don;t want them in the backyard but the poor must accept what ever the government throws at them. Such elitism and unfair practice, well that’s our nation which belives in “Justice and Equality”. I have long given up..
4) Arthur Lim on September 4th, 2008 11.49 am
Mr. Lim, what do you think of the following case. Do you think the man in this story “Jail for man with cancer” also deserves the same level of compassion that you have mentioned.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Courts%2Band%2BCrime/Story/STIStory_275087.html
The case is not some hardcore crime like murder and robbery - just running an unlicensed massage parlour. Well, maybe you should educate those people up there and spend more time with them.
AT 5.45PM yesterday, ailing retail magnate Tang Wee Sung, 56, walked out of Queenstown Remand Prison.
He had been sentenced in the afternoon to a day’s jail, but was set free at the end of the business day, after two hours.
One day’s jail means 2 hrs? I don’t get it.
6) Compassion is badly needed.
Yes, I agree with you that compassion should be considered likewise.
However, it is up to the respective magistrate handing down the sentence to weigh and evaluate the mitigating factors which I am certain the legal counsel have submited.
It is hope that cases of these circumstances will be carefully considered when sentencing is handed down.
if one is rich, he can :
1. live longer with access to best or most expensive doctors
2. not so impacted by parking fines or car scratches or ERP or hikes of anything.
3. get the most expensive or best lawyers to help him get out of trouble.
4. highly increase his children’s chance of getting scholarships (best tutor, training, teachers, schools etc).
but if you are not … … fut..ure……
They say the rich gets richer….
they say meritocracy….
i say mee siam mai hum also can eat nice njce.
I am clueless. Nice to meet you!
this is really a sad case for the man with terminal cancer. Unlike Mr Tang, he was probably trying desparately to make a living, eking out a living by running a massage parlour. No Jannie Tay and 50 rich friends and relatives and no seniour counsel representing him.
One country, 2 systems.
Let us tear the pledge up! Sorry Rajaratnam!
Can the public prosecutor now appeal to lower the sentence, since that poor chap probably cannot afford a lawyer to appeal.
Think of his family -
“Money talks, bullshit walks.” Same as Power corrupts, can solve any political problems in SG. No opposing politician can stand up to it. ASK lky.
A hint that Minister’s Khaw’s hints could become a reality in the near future?
However, the timing is just not right. You can’t literally acquit someone who has committed an illegal action. The law hasn’t been passed yet for sale of organs.
i think the guy who was the middleman should be punished instead.
sorry, rich or poor, i dont think anyone paying his way for survival should be faulted…the rich simply has a natural advantage
but the one, the middle person, who took advantage of the poor AS WELL AS the rich, he’s the one to punish…he’s only in it for the money
the other two are in it to survive