Report by Ravi Philemon
Photos by Jeremy Philemon
THE Singapore Anti-Death Penalty Campaign, commemorated the World Day Against the Death Penalty by organising a forum on 10 October 2009, and calling on the Singapore government to join 139 states throughout the world that have ceased executions in law or practice.
The Campaign also used the event to plead for clemency for Yong Vui Kong, a 21-year-old Malaysian who has been sentenced to death for drug trafficking. He was 19 when he was caught for drug trafficking in June 2007.
Mr Alfian Sa’at moderated the forum and Mr Seelan Palay, an artist and activist, kick-started the forum by presenting actual case studies of people who have been executed in Singapore. He emphasised the point that Singapore is estimated to have one of the highest per capita execution rates in the world.
Mr M Ravi spoke next and said that a mandatory death sentence is a cruel and inhuman punishment because even if the defendant’s lawyer is able to adduce fresh evidence or canvass a new argument which has merits, in both situations, after an appeal has been heard by the Court of Appeal, the court system in Singapore, does not have the power to re-open a case where an appeal had already been heard and dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
Mr Ravi mentioned that in one particular case, when he asked the Chief Justice if the public prosecutor was “still maintaining that an innocent man be hanged because of procedure”, the Chief Justice answered, “Yes, the answer is yes”.
He said that this clearly shows that there is a serious defect in our legal system, since it has been undeniably stated by the Chief Justice himself that an innocent man can be hanged because of procedures.
Ms Agnes Chia a social worker, who came on next, said that the core values of social work are the dignity and worth of individuals and unconditional positive regard for people, regardless of life situations.
Social work believes that people have “an innate ability to change”, because an individual’s behaviour affects and is affected by his or her social environment. Many in the forum applauded when Ms Chia said that hopes that more social workers in Singapore will speak up and advocate for the abolishment of death penalty in Singapore.
Ms Braema Mathi, a human rights activist and the president of MARUAH (Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism) who spoke next emphasised the point that we must not forget the fact that this individuals have committed a “blunder”, but that those who commit blunders, should be given the opportunity to be rehabilitated; and that mandatory death penalty, takes away this opportunity from those sentenced mandatorily to the death penalty.
Mr Alex Au a blog owner, summed up the Forum and said that abolishment of the death penalty is a battle between ideas and values. That “the other side” believes in an idea that death is an appropriate penalty for those who commit certain crimes, irrespective of what scientific statistics might say, or over the value that every life is dignified. He encouraged everyone present to “talk to people about death penalty”, “go out and tell stories” and to “convince the other side”.
The forum was then opened to the people of the floor for comments and questions. The brother of Yong Vui Kong then addressed the people from the floor and he took the opportunity to apologise to the people of Singapore for the crime this brother has committed.
He said how his mother, who is suffering from severe depression, is kept from receiving the news that his brother faces the death penalty. He also pleaded with the President of Singapore to grant clemency to his brother.
After some very touching comments and questions from the floor, the forum ended with a call for those present to sign the petition urging the President of Singapore to grant clemency to Yong Vui Kong.
Killed in your name
My heart goes out to the family of Yong Vui Kong and his family. He was in the prime of his youth (19), when he was caught for the offence of drug-trafficking. An age when you think that you are invincible, an age where you are most subjected to peer-pressure, and age where many costly mistakes are made. And to deprive a mother of the knowledge that her son is facing impending death, to me is crueller than the noose of the hangman. But in the case of Vui Kong’s mother, it is probably in her best interest right now for the news to be kept from her.
I support the abolishment of mandatory death penalty and support the call for the Courts in Singapore to be granted revisionary powers over all cases which carry the death penalty.
I agree with Mr Au that the people, who believe in this cause, should talk to people about the death penalty and “go out and tell a story”; because stories have the power to change ideas.
But unfortunately, the people on “the other side” are the majority who support the death penalty for various reasons including it being measures for deterrence, retribution, law and order and incapacitation.
It will be very difficult for elected legislators to push for the abolishment of mandatory death sentence even if they personally believe in it, as they are but the representative of the majority who voted them in.
So, tell stories we must, especially to our children, as they are tomorrow’s citizens, politicians, defendants, judges and lawyers and the world’s future is in their hands.
It is also important who tells the story. The story must be told not just by the elites and the activists, but it must be told by the converts and the common man.
In telling the story, the story-teller must not trivialise the offense committed as a mistake or ‘blunder’, for the fact is, it is something graver than a mere blunder – it is a crime. The story-teller must be able to answer queries and criticisms like who determines if the offender has an “innate ability to change”?
In the meantime, as the rest of Singapore winds down to enjoy the long weekend, the person on the death-row goes into high anxiety as he does not know if it will be his last weekend; for in Singapore, the hangings take place on the Friday, and he is given four days notice of his execution on the Monday. And what is worse is, he will never touch his loved even one last time, before he is executed by the state on the behalf of the citizens – he is killed in your name.
—————————–
Volunteers from Singapore Anti-Death Penalty Campaign will be on standby with the petition at Hanis Cafe at the Central Library (the one closest to Bugis MRT) from 2pm to 6pm on this Saturday, October 17, 2009.
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If you don’t want death penalty, then don’t commit crimes that has death penalty.
If you commit a crime knowing that the penalty is death, then you should be prepared to meet your maker.
Dude thats really quite a flawed way to reason about it. The whole article is against the death penalty itself and is about introducing a structural change. Its focus is not about being against individual instances of the death penalty although they are canvassing for that poor bloke.
” If you don’t want death penalty, then don’t commit crimes that have death penalty”
thats like saying…….If you don’t want to get your hands and feet chopped off publicly then don’t steal. Sure its easy to tell people not to steal, but do you want to live in a society where the state does that to people?
eh you talk so big would you still feel the same way if your brother or father was going to be hanged?
I will rather use this incident to tell me kids that crime does not pay, and trying to earn quick and big bucks at the expense of runing and wretching another person’s life is something that you would need to pay back dearly.
I support the death penalty, and urged those hypocrites campaigning for the abolishment to also start thinking and considering the plights and heartaches of those lives being ruined by Yong Vui Kong’s crime!
By the way, can these campaigners also guarantee that this Yong Vui Kong will not go back to his old trick? How sure are you?
2) f o dude on October 16th, 2009 7.00 am
Hey,you talk so big…would you feel the same way if your loved ones,kids or family members are victims of heinous crime?
One of the example I can give is the Bali bombing…Lots of aussie were killed in that incident. Even though Australia condemn death penalty, there were cheers all around when the attackers were sentenced to death.
How come there were no protest then?
My take is Death penalty is still valid in this time and day…There are so called humans out there in the world that behaves more like savages than human…
Let the punishment fit the crime…
“eh you talk so big would you still feel the same way if your brother or father was going to be hanged? ”
I’m sorry, but yes. Even if he is a friend or family. You think before you put your head on the line. I’ll try to stop them, but if they go ahead, I’ll just give up.
“I told you so.”
How can you hang a minor, for whatever reason. He should be rehabilitated, be given a 2nd chance.
1) Dude
You will make a mistake one day and pay dearly for it. Karma has a way of finding it’s way around to shove it up yours where the sun doesn’t shine.
Perhaps the real problem is that the law is perceived as a moral guide to those under it. Yet it is immoral to say there is a need to murder someone, whatever the reason.
There is a difference between abolishing death penalty and abolishing mandatory death penalty. Perhaps abolishing mandatory death penalty may be more palatable for the majority now.
Ris Low got away with 24 months probation for credit card fraud because at the time of offence, she is only 19 years old.
She has 60 offence taken into consideration, I guess the first in court history to have so many cases TIC.
She went on to win Miss Singapore.
In comparison, this young boy, committed the offence when he was also at the tender age of 19. Given his background, the bad company he is with and the immaturity at his age, what I see is a young boy being led astray and one who couldn’t quite tell the seriousness of the offence.
Ris Low committed the offence more than 60 times until the law caught up with her. It was Yong’s first and his mitigation plea was not taken into consideration when the verdict of death was dealt on him.
This is a life, a young life we are talking about.
Is our society so cold blooded that condone taking another person life?
Risky Low, are you also not cold-blooded to the runining of lifes caused by Yong’s crimes, and the kind of society and health issues it creates?
Are you also not cold-blooded to the heartache and sorrows of family members who witnessed how someone dearest to them are totally ruined by the effects of illegal drugs?
4) Life For Life
Killing the trafficker doesn’t solve the problem…can’t you see it…the root will still grow….the distributor and the druglord are still at large and they will get others crony to do their work
if you want to solve the problem, kill it off at its roots if not it will just come back again like these cases.
12) No Drugs, No Death!
Are you the same as 4? Then why don’t you solve the problem and take our druglords and the local distributors? who can sit back, shake legs and enjoy the riches….
and how will you feel if you are like the african boy, who didn’t know that he was carrying drugs and was executed because of it?
12) No Drugs, No Death!
When there is demand, then there will be a supply….instead of blaming others for ruining their lifes, they could have make the choice and say no….so stop blaming others…
I’m pretty torn about this. How about serial murderers or rapists (which I believe is one of the most deplorable things to do)? How about murderers who kill the young? Sentence them to life imprisonment?
Thanks Yamamoto for the response to NDND, my exact sentiment.
Temptation would be abound, instead of blaming the temptation, why not work on how to resist the temptation?
Educating the public on the danger and effect of drug consumption will be more effective.
As what the animal rights group slogan I remember long time ago, “when the buying stop, the killing stop”.
Going by NDND’s logic, I was reminded of our government selling arms to Burmese Junta.
No arms no death, why aren’t they send to the gallows for selling arms that causes the death of the monks?
16/10/09
My stand for Death Penalty is must be maintained at all costs in Singaporea and no mercies must be shown to those Drugs Trafficers which must be included those educated mastermind (I know what I am talking about, perhaps some of the readers know my story ie I have a only very rich brother who is a Drugs Syndicate Mastermind based in Penang (also has millions of investment in Singapore). These people living in Super Luxuries and made millions. Despite the introduction of Death Penalty since day one we still see these Drugs Traffickers using Singapore as their based including investing their millions of their drugs monies in Singapore.
To conclude, no mercies must be shown to these Drugs Traffickers charged and convicted and given the Death Penalty. This Death Penalty is an uncompromised issue and I am prepared to hang my only very rich brother if I have a choice.
Regards
Andrew Chuah
While I agree that drug trafficking does not warrant a death penalty (after all, the drug itself was confiscated and the trafficker has not succeeded in transferring such poison to potential victims), death penalty per se, should remain and be reserved for heinous crimes.
This includes murder, slavery and rebellion. If putting to death such pest of human society to prevent another family from falling to grief, then so be it. There will be always two sides to the story. We can always ask how we would feel if it is our dear ones who will be put to death and we can always ask how we would feel if our dear ones were murdered and the murderer goes unpunished or lightly punished.
just throwing a spanner in the works -
talking about ‘punishment’ and letting the perpetuator go off lightly.. i wonder which one makes the perpetuator suffer more – death? or a long prison term during which he has time to reflect and come to realization the suffering he has caused… and the pain he has to go through to reconcil it.
My opinion is that there are those who are willing to do the crime which comes with death penalty might already have a death wish… so if we sentence them to death, is that really ‘punishment’ anyway?
16/10/09
Hi BTan & Zefly-I noted your posting and let us not compromise and go all out and maintain the Death Penalty for Drugs Traffickers and if possible include those educated mastermind. Despite Death Penalty, we continue to see Drugs Traffickers using Singapore as their based or transit and those super rich educated Drugs Mastermind like my only very rich brother (also educated in NUS with a Master) investing his drugs monies-tens of millions in Singapore.
As far as I am concerned and Alive, being a Singaporean born Chinese, I shall never compromise and if I can I will hand my only very rich brother and his wife and all her family (they are Penang based).
Regards
Andrew Chuah
From the article:Mr Ravi mentioned that in one particular case, when he asked the Chief Justice if the public prosecutor was “still maintaining that an innocent man be hanged because of procedure”, the Chief Justice answered, “Yes, the answer is yes”.
I wonder how this is in support of abolishing death penalty. Clearly it is not the penalty but the system that is at fault. Why did they ask to revamp the flaw instead?
i.e still have death penalty, but allow for re-opening of cases where an appeal had already been heard and dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
Correction: why DIDN’T they ask to revamp …
There is a Chinese saying – death is preferable to be alive in certain circumstances. Those who commit crimes are not afraid of death, so giving them the death penalty would not reduce the crime rate. Criminals live for the present, not tomorrow.
The death penalty practised here may be due to many reasons – to avoid overcrowding in the prisons, and to having to upkeep the prisoners’ cost of imprisonment, or if the crime involves a foreign national’s death, who may invite backlash from his country against Singapore if the Singaporean murderer is deemed to be let off too leniently. Liu Hong Mei was a good example.
On the other hand, if the murderer is a foreign national, long prison terms or life imprisonment would most probably be handed down, also with due consideration to foreign backlash and anger. Singapore has tasted such unpleasant experience with the Filipino maid in the nineties, the maid in question was hanged for murder here, and she ignited violent demonstrations in Manila. Recently some foreign maid murderers had their sentences reduced to only imprisonment on account of mental illness.
In Singapore as in all aspects of life here, it is pragmatism that rules, not human rights.
23) popcorn on October 16th, 2009 1.07 pm
There is a Chinese saying – death is preferable to be alive in certain circumstances. Those who commit crimes are not afraid of death, so giving them the death penalty would not reduce the crime rate. Criminals live for the present, not tomorrow.
wow.. they sound incorrigible. So … are you trying to support death penalty?
@20) Andrew Chuah on October 16th, 2009 11.46 am
Drug Trafficking is one thing. But the mastermind definitely deserve the death penalty, if they can be caught.
It’s kinda like the loan shark issue. The runners are the ones who get caught but the greatest offender are the chiefs.
It is for this reason that I support the death penalty. Yes, oppose it for the pawn, by all means, but please do not oppose death penalty for ALL CRIMES.
My question to those who oppose death penalty is, what do you say to the following crimes?
1. Drug lord and mastermind
2. Serial murder
3. Terrorist that caused death to innocents and destruction to property
4. Those who traffick in human and sex slaves
5. Those who formulate rebellion causing widespread death and destruction
What do you think would be adequate punishment for these people even if they have causes many innocent lives to be killed and many family destroyed?
does TOC have a habit of recycling previous topics?
Yong Vui Kong is unscrupulously used as a poster boy by this petition’s activists because he fits their profile of a “victim”? what of others who have repeatedly commited crimes?
sometimes saving 1 life, many more have to suffer if not die. the domino effect….
Back to the same point Btan,
What makes you think the terrorists drug lords rebels serial killers etc see death penalty as a punishment?
Every time a terrorist is executed, two groups of people cheer. Those that want revenge, and those that believe he has become a matyr and now is enjoy the fruits of his labor in heaven.
Now suppose the terrorist is rehabilated, and one day realizes the sheer enormity of his guilt – and carrying it for a very long time. Isn’t that an even more apt punishment than death before repentance?
@27) Zefly (aka Joshua Chiang) on October 16th, 2009 2.19 pm
I don’t see death penalty as a deterrence. You can’t deter someone who is dead.
I see it as a punishment. You do the crime, now do the time.
It is irrelevant what the criminal thinks is the punishment. Honestly, there are people who do not fear death itself. What is more important is such criminals are not released back to the society again to harm people.
That a drug runner is used as a poster boy to support a case of anti-death penalty to me is wrong. Yes, he does not deserve death. But it does not mean death penalty should be removed altogether.
Incompatible punishment level (as in the cast of this Vietnamese drug runner) should never be equate with death penalty itself.
Personally, if I can set the laws, then I would let the victims of the criminals decide what punishment the criminals should face. THAT to me, would be justice.
So in the case of this drug runner, the best persons to decide his punishment would be present and former drug addicts and their families.
Looking at the size (lack of) of the brains and color (lack of) the hearts of some of the postings here, it’s no wonder Singapore deserves its heartless government.
In Singapore, there is NO discretion. Everything is followed robotically. If a chief justice can insist that an innocent man must still be put to death because of a judicial technicality instead of restoring Truth and Justice, OMG, what does it say about our system and culture? It simply tells everyone that life in Singapore does not matter if one is not rich & powerful & connected and have deep pockets to feed the judicial system and fatten the lawyers and judges.
Life is CHEAP here, so what if you are innocent. Sad day.
Death penalties should be exercised for heinous violent crimes like murder/bombings/rape cum murder/armed robberies, kidnapping, hostages….etc. In cases like drug trafficking, minors should be given due discretion to rehabilitate. How many of us dun look back at our youths and shake our heads in disbelief at some of the stupidest deeds committed but are productive law abiding citizens now? Should we be put to death then too?
And those who say our prisons are overcrowded? Bullsh@*&! We can more than easily make out plenty of spaces if we STOP throwing normal citizens into jail for town council arrears or minor offences.
Geez, what happened to good old common sense people? What happened to respecting life and looking at death only as a final last resort? When a country like Singapore is so dispensable with killing off anything (death sentences, culling strays..) you know this is a modern day killing fields.
PS: To those dramatic hysterics (plenty in Singapore) who is adamant on the death penalty blindly on the grounds of protecting their precious children blah blah blah, let’s just see how they will sing the tune when one of their own minions get tangled in the drug trafficking web.
Now suppose i become the Minister of Law, maybe i can push for the change in death penalty. haha.
Now suppose i be the PM of singapore,
Now suppose i be….
So much hypocracy for those think that they are more “human” than the us, while they are doing the society more harm. pui.
16/10/09
Hi Btan
Good to hear from you. My stand is still unchanged and I am all for Death Penalty for Drugs Traffickers and if I am the government of Modern Sinapore, I will go all out to include Death Penalty on Drugs Mastermind like my only very rich brother (highly educated with a Master in NUS and tens of millions of drugs money invested in Singapore) and I am proud of my stand and no mercies must be shown even to this young man Vong.
Regards
Andrew Chuah
??//??
Here we go again…
TOC, why rehash the same topic. I am sure there are more newworthy issues deserving debate.
I am dying to comment on Ris Low … Ha ha!! or Obama Nobel’s Prize
Looking at the size (lack of) of the brains and color (lack of) the hearts of some of the postings here, it’s no wonder Singapore deserves its heartless government.
In Singapore, there is NO discretion. Everything is followed robotically. If a chief justice can insist that an innocent man must still be put to death because of a judicial technicality instead of restoring Truth and Justice, OMG, what does it say about our system and culture? It simply tells everyone that life in Singapore does not matter if one is not rich & powerful & connected and have deep pockets to feed the judicial system and fatten the lawyers and judges.
Life is CHEAP here, so what if you are innocent. Sad day.
Death penalties should be exercised for heinous violent crimes like murder/bombings/rape cum murder/armed robberies, kidnapping, hostages….etc. In cases like drug trafficking, minors should be given due discretion to rehabilitate. How many of us dun look back at our youths and shake our heads in disbelief at some of the stupidest deeds committed but are productive law abiding citizens now? Should we be put to death then too?
And those who say our prisons are overcrowded? Bullsh@*&! We can more than easily make out plenty of spaces if we STOP throwing normal citizens into jail for town council arrears or minor offences.
Geez, what happened to good old common sense people? What happened to respecting life and looking at death only as a final last resort? When a country like Singapore is so dispensable with killing off anything (death sentences, culling strays, oppositions…) you know this is a modern day “killing fields”.
PS: To those dramatic hysterics (plenty in Singapore) who is adamant on the death penalty blindly on the grounds of protecting their precious children blah blah blah, let’s just see how they will sing the tune when one of their own minions get tangled in the drug trafficking web.
TOC, why are my postings (29&36) now subjected to moderation and not before? Too raw? Length?
Censorship? Hate that. Let me know. If so, I have no issues not ever posting again. Not kidding. :)
PS: FYI
29) Knowledge Is Power on Your comment is awaiting moderation. October 16th, 2009 2.51 pm
36) Knowledge Is Power on Your comment is awaiting moderation. October 16th, 2009 3.23 pm
” Life is CHEAP here”
Tell that to the victims and the broken families devastated by drug abuse
“Tell that to the victims and the broken families devastated by drug abuse”
My complete post cannot be posted due to “moderation”??, so u can’t read the logic yet….BUT… so very true based on yours…zzz
(I’ll attempt to break it up in children’s pieces just for you.) see below
All gamblers are innocent victims if they wreck their families…death sentences to the casinos for encouraging gambling
All thieves are innocent victims if they steal more…death sentences to property owners for tempting thefts
All smokers are innocent victims if they cause cancer to themselves and others….death sentences to cigarette companies for polluting the world
All recalcitrant students are innocent if they disrupt learning to themselves and others…death sentences to teachers for implementing discipline and inhibiting their natural development.
…etc….etc…
Welcome to the age of victims and non accountability.
Welcome to Temasek Holdings.
Welcome to Singapore.
Joe, you are outdated lah. The more updated topic is ” when did the merlion extinct ? ” haha…check that out, damn funny.
We slaughtered so many poultry, pigs, cow, goat, lamb everyday, NO ONE gonna do anything for them ? Just imagine this very wonderful scenario, after a heavy discussion on ” World day against death penalty 2009″, those forum organizers went to a cosy restaurant and have steak, sparerib, lamb chop, spring chicken….wow….SO CRUEL those animals didn’t commited any crime you know.
Just curious, ask yourself this question
“Which is more inhumane, life long sentence or instant death ( dealth sentence) ? ”
For me, i probably go nutz if i know i have to stay in that small cage for the rest of my life.
To 41) JokeIsntIT
Let’s see whether you choose death when the time comes. Many of us find such things easy to say, but we all know how it is to accept death.
Singapore is just a tiny city state. Without the death penalty, the place will be much terrible than some neighbouring countries. Islamist terrorists who killed innocents including Muslim are free after few years of imprisonment. So why is the justice to the innocent people? Drug traffickers be it small peddlers or not, their selfish acts would inevitably cause the loss of many innocent lives …
Talks so much also no point. Got evidence charge them in court and convict them – “DEATH SENTENCE BY HANGING”
#42, it is not whether you can or not choose your own death, it is whether you have the courage or determination to do it. BTW, Many of “you” does not mean many of us out there.
Every life is valuable and dignified, but you can not simply go out there, commited crimes, and expected people to go easy on you.
28) btan
///Personally, if I can set the laws, then I would let the victims of the criminals decide what punishment the criminals should face. THAT to me, would be justice.///////
The victims, in their truamatised state of mind may not be ideal person to decide, but nonetheless, the judge can make an equally bad decision, being human.
An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.
16) DHSC
I agree that it is difficult to show any compassion to serial murderers and rapists. But killing them in turn does not make sense to me as they are both sick and need treatment. Some countries prescribe castration for rapists. Rapists are presently not sentenced to death in Singapore unless they commit murder in the course of rape.
In Singapore, life imprisonment means one’s entire life and not 20 years prior to 2007. Such long imprisonment is in my view sufficient punishment for murderers. As for drug traffickers, esp if they are young, I do not think they deserve life imprisonment.
Singapore laws prescribe mandatory death penalty for many offences. The laws also shift the burden of proof to an accused person. This means the prosecutor decides whether an offender deserves to die or to live. This is fundamentally wrong because the prosecutor should never be the judge. If we believe in the separation of powers, we should let our judges perform their role of adjudication and not tie their hands, demanding that they impose the death penalty even though they are of the view that the offender does not deserve death or should be given another chance.
Notihing is more precious than a life. Different people lead different life. S’pore Ministers live grandeur lives and will never be sentenced to death even with their squeezing and ‘stealing’ from the tax-payer citizens.
Why do people commit crime? Many reasons. Many wretchedly poor people committed crimes for money. Murders, drugs etc prevailed. Crime of passion is another thing altogether.
Death penalty should not be imposed on drug traffickers. Many are on pawns to the drug boss. They do not kill people. They do not force you to take drugs. You buy it and take it on your own accord.
To give the death sentence to a drug trafficker with the minimum amount when caught, what an unjustified law? Young carriers are put to the gallows without a second chance. Most of these people who turned to trafficking are really dead poor and society like our Spore has no good supporting system to arrest their plight especially if they are our very own citizens. Many a sad story were told in its true essence. But the court has no compassion to take it as the mitigating factor and death is the only answer.
Death is not the end all of things. The emotional trauma the immediate family faced will be perennial. Forever, life will never be the same to the living families.
The sad truth of a bad system of law. We must abolish the death penalty in a humane society of forgiveness.