On 10th Oct 2009, a collective of independent activists held a forum to commemorate the World Day against Death Penalty. Below is the 7-part video series of the forum. The speakers are the human rights lawyer M. Ravi, Alex Au of Yawning Bread, Sinapan Samydorai of Think Centre, Social Worker Agnes Chia and Braema Mathi of Maruah. The forum was moderated by the celebrated playwright Alfian Sa’at.
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27/10/09
The Death Penalty must be maintained at all costs in Singapore for Capital Punishment ie Drugs Trafficking, Murder and Treason, and since our independence, Death Penalty has been a very effective deterent and made all Singaporeans feel very safe and can go to bed and sleep soundly and wake up fresh the next day. I am just an Ordinary Singaporeans and not a mouth piece of the PAP government, and let us take a good look, in the Western World, the USA has the highest executions b esides China and perhaps Singapore.
The people who participated in this Forum are the “barking” minority who are against Death Penalty and playing with fire and don’t really know the severe consequences should one day Dealhh Penaltyy has been totally abolished-just imagine, whereas I represent the Silent Major4ity Singaporeans who are all for Death Penalty and let us continue to fight for the continuance of Death Penalty in Singapore for all Capital Punishment ie3 Drugs Trafficking, Murder and Treason.
Regards
Andrew Chuqh
I agree with Andrew Chuah,
In many countries the death penalty issued out by drug warlord and thugs in a year is much much higher than all the death penalty combined in the last 44 years in Singapore. Those barking minority has peanut size brain, one day their grandchildren will curse at them.
Death Penalty for the trafficking of drugs is against the core principle of justice ,Eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth, and against the religious beliefs of most singaporeans. In islam, forgiveness or a pardon is encouraged more unless the crime committed is severe( intentional murder, serial killings,genocide, terrorism etc)
The justification given for this non-violent crime is that if a person smuggle in drugs to singapore in the amounts ranging from 15g to 1.2 kg, it would “destroy” 1000 lives in singapore which makes him worser than a murderer . Its kind of like the movie ‘collateral’ ,but without psychics to be able to foresee the future. This is UNACCEPTABLE. The burden of proof is on the court for not being able to prove that the illegal drugs brought by the drug traffickers WILL, with absolute certainty, destroy/kill a person in the future. Even if the drugs do destroy a person’s life as proven by a supernatural psychic(u know who i’m talking about) ,drug traffickers would not be responsible for the death/addiction of a person but rather the person himself for taking drugs. Does it make sense for alcohol or cigarette traders to be responsible to the death/addiction of the people who consume it? Education is the key to completely eradicate the drug problem, not death to drug traffickers.
Latest scientific study by ‘The Lancet’ had shown that Cigarettes and alcohol do more harm than many illegal drugs like cannabis, LSD, ketamine & estasy. Yet we are murdering people who smuggled these drugs while the import of cigarettes and alcohol is perfectly acceptable . The laws that we have now with regards to drugs are criminally outdated.
http://biopsychiatry.com/tobacco/risks.html
The other justification is that it deters drug trafficking. There are plenty of countries that doesn’t punish drug traffickers by death yet are able to maintain a low drug crime rates (Turkey,greece,france).
Furthermore, plenty of studies & statistics had shown no correlation between the death penalty and murder rates. Don’t get me wrong, i’m not against the death penalty for murder and that the accused has been PROVEN to be guilty. Just ask yourself, who in their right minds would smuggle in drugs to singapore while knowing that he/she could be punished by death if caught?
1) Dumb people who were exploited by a drug lord to smuggle drugs, either aware or unaware that he is smuggling drugs
( It is sad how people are duped into becoming drug mules and thus had to die due to the criminal judicial countries that penalized drug trafficking by death. There are singaporean women on death row in countries like china right now for such cases. Unfortunately the government has made no intention of protesting against it : (
2) Desperate people who are coerced to smuggle drugs in order to pay off debts to a violent loan shark, or a drug lord
3) People who are in desperate need of money and was influenced by the drug lord’s sweet talk
That’s all i have to say ,
Peace
Oh wait its not collateral, but “Minority Report “. Great movie by the way!
27/10/09
HI Rizal, Good to hear from you and also Singaporekia.
Despite the Death Penalty for Drugs Trafficking, the numbers of Drugs Traffickers increased yearly, just imagine without Death Penalty, what would our Modern Singapore be like and a significant numbers of Singaporeans turn to Drugs addiction and will be like our neighbours in Malaysia where a particular race has the highest number of addiction and the BN-UMNO government has to spend billions to treat this particular race-sad to say the Malays.
Further, should I am the PM, I would amend the Death Penalty for Drugs Mastermind today who are very smart and highly educated people like my former only brother -I have cut all ties with him ,who has a Master from NUS and the richest man in Penang, and tens of millions of drugs monies invested in Singapore and still not enough (he is not prepared to pay income back back home despite showing off his wealth openly and untouchable-authorities there are on his payroll). Just last week, the Malaysia IRB hit him again, and he is after me again but I am not afraid of him and his threats which included taking me under the Malaysia dreaded Internal Security Act-ISA and Sedition (yes, he has tens of millions to pay the authorities )
As Singaporeans especially I represent the silent Majority, we must always put our Modern Singapore above all things and if we have to hang our only former brother, we must do so. Our Modern Singapore is much bigger than any individuals and we must treasure her as our only place we call our home
I believe that the death penalty is not justified under all circumstances.
-Let’s pause and ponder for a second why murder is so abhorrent… – it is because it deprives the victim of his life.
So, the death penalty is incoherent because the State deprives a person of his life in its objection to the criminal’s act of depriving another of his.
-Next, consider what punishment of crimes is for. It is for:
(1) Justice.
(2) Protection of society from the perpetrator of the crime.
(3) Deterrence of others from committing the same crime.
(4) Rehabilitation.
The death penalty is also unnecessary because it is not the only way to achieve the above first 3 objectives of punishment. As for rehabilitation, you can’t rehabilitate a dead man, can you?
28/10/09
Hi SmallVoice585
Good to hear from you. Despite Death Sentences for the 3 Capital Punishment crimes ie Drugs Trafficking, Murder and Treason, with exception of Treason, the numbers for Drugs Trafficking and Murder, keeping on increasing and we must not stop and continue maintaining Death Sentence at all costs as the silent majority of Singaporeans will most likely to give their full support and our Modern Singapore can always remain safe and all Singaporeans will be able to sleep soundly every night and wake up fresg the next day and continue with their usual work.
Regards
Andrew Chuah
6) smallvoice585 on October 28th, 2009 4.15 pm
-Let’s pause and ponder for a second why murder is so abhorrent… – it is because it deprives the victim of his life.
assumption of fact not in evident. Drug trafficker = ‘victim’.
-Next, consider what punishment of crimes is for. It is for:
(1) Justice.
(2) Protection of society from the perpetrator of the crime.
(3) Deterrence of others from committing the same crime.
(4) Rehabilitation.
yes, this is according to you. Did you bother to find out if people agree with you on these 4 points? personally, I would agree with points 1-3. 4 is a separate issue altogether.
why not ask yourself if there are crimes which is unpardonable? Do you know that drugs is one of the ways to create sex slaves… including the ring which has a sex slave as young as 11 yrs old?
Dear 7) Andrew Chuah,
Doesn’t the increase in the murder and drug trafficking cases DESPITE the death penalty tell you that the death penalty is ineffective in deterring these crimes? If so, why maintain it?
Even the silent majority of Singaporeans support it or feel safer with it, they are doing so out of ignorance. Our laws should not be based on ignorance and prejudice.
can i start a “World Day against Culling of Chickens, Ducks, Cows & Pigs” simply because its inhumane?
i mean, they also have a right to live… also it’ll be very interesting if these animals can speak on the topic “an eye for an eye”. 8)
i do believe they are innocently put to death, because people feel safer…
lol…
Dear 8) lobo76,
Please be more confident of yourself. Knowledge is based on facts and reason. It is not based on how many people agreeing with you.
If a million ignorant people disagrees with you, do not be afraid.
No crime is unpardonable if you have mastered the art of forgiveness. You must learn to break free from the futility of revenge.
the death penalty shall stand no matter what …these guys and gals who’s campaigning against the death penalty shall transfer their attention on how to help the rich poor divide in Singapore..
y talk about human rights and stuff when day to day survival is a matter of life and death..
11) smallvoice585 on October 29th, 2009 1.08 am
Please be more confident of yourself. Knowledge is based on facts and reason. It is not based on how many people agreeing with you.
Fact is fact, and opinion is opinion. What you have presented was opinion not fact. Validity of an Opinion is, to some extent, dependent on the number of people who agrees with you.
Not to worry, I won’t label you as ignorant even if you can’t separate the two.
29/10/09
Hi SmallVoice585
Good to hear from you again. We must respect the silent majority who supports the Death Penalty and I represent the silent Majority and just imagine without Death Penalty, the numbers will be much higher. Good, we can use Death Penalty on Drugs mstermind who are very highly educated like my former only brother and even my dad and mum support him and justified his kind of business and proud that he is so capable (even has very strong cables in Singapore to protect his tens of millions of money invested in Singapore).
Let us so Yes to Death Penalty and go one step further use the Internal Security Act-ISA on these drugs mastermind-local and international who use Singapore to invest their tens of millions of money here.
Regards
Andrew Chuah
Is there Rehabilitation when someone is Executed?
Is a Life / 20 years imprisonment not a strong enough deterrence?
What is achieved by taking away a Life?
People say make love not war.
Those who seen lives being taken away in war knows how terrible it is to take away a person’s life.
Last but not least, is Everyone Born Equal to be given the same sentence for a same crime?
It’s inhumane to hang a drug trafficker that sells, drugs that will ruined many families. Every gram of pure drug can be packaged into hundreds of potion, ultimately affecting many hundreds of person. And every person got them a family.
The damage and influences are huge and hidden to those ignornant.
It’s inhumane to hang a criminal, that kills a 7-10 years old child or murdered 2 of his roommates just for the money. Perhaps raped your daughter and your wife, and chopped them into pieces.
It’s inhumane to send a people to death, despite numerous warning that processing any amount of drug is a serious offence/ death sentence. Well, i guess, life sucks for them and partying is the top priority.
It’s inhumane, that you still think that it is inhumane …..
Dear 13) lobo76,
May I make it easy for you by telling you:
(1) You cannot simply label things that you dislike or don’t agree with as “opinions”. Every English word has its precise meaning.
(2) Opinions are weakly-held convictions. Their validity are not determined by how many people are holding them. They are a reflection of how people think about certain issues.
(3) Facts are different. A factual statement is one that can be supported by direct evidence or can be deduced by logical reasoning.
I hope that is clear enough for you or others who may be interested.
31/10/09
Hi Jokeisnit & Fiona Chu,Good to hear from both of you.
We must look at the over all view and the respect the views of the silent majority of Singaporeans who wants Death Penalty to remain and I represent the silent majority and Death Penalty has been a very good deterent epsecially against Drugs Trafficking (yes, we have sent so many to gallows, yet they keep on coming and the mastermind epsecially the highly educated ones like my former only brother who has tens of millions of investment, dont’t mind employing these Drugs Mulls as they easily fally prey into their money and their lives are cheap (theirs are what we want if I am the PM, I will go all out for them including if I have to hang him and his wife, and todate, they have got away and even in Malaysia just two days ago in Penang, the Police busted a bugalow with millions worth of drugs and many luxury cars, in Batu Ferringi. Even, my own mum admitted that his great wealth are illegal ie from Drugs Monies and the authorirties there are on his payroll, thank God not in Singapore ((yet she once told me he has strong cables in Singapore as his Master degree was from NUS-I told her he is lying).
Let us as Singaporeans remain united and firm and support the Death Penalty in Singapore especially for Drugs Trafficking and if possible use it and perhaps, the Internal Security Act-ISA, on both local and internaltional drugs syndicates including those who use Singapore to launder their Drugs Monies and invests their tens of millions in Singapore.
Regards
Andrew Chuah