Yong Vui Kong’s appeal hearing takes place at 10am on Monday, 15 March 2010.
By Andrew Loh
Yong Vui Kong was 12 when he left his grandfather’s palm oil estate “deep in the forests of Sabah” in Malaysia to strike it out on his own. He had had enough of watching his mother being abused by his grandfather and her relatives. He wanted to help her escape what he now calls “that place of pain”. And so, he made up a story. He told his mother that he had found someone who would take him in as a godson. But the truth was, his “godfather” ran an illegal gambling business. Vui Kong went to work for this man, hoping to save up enough money so he could rescue his mother.
He was eventually thrown out by his godfather. Vui Kong thinks it was probably because he was too small and skinny to be of any use. He ended up washing cars to survive, making about RM$3 a day. It was hardly enough to pay for food, let alone accommodation. He would often pester his friends to put him up for short periods of time. He lived like this for three years.
At 15, he made his way to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, hoping to find a better job. But things didn’t turn out the way he planned. He faced discrimination because he came from a small town and was often beaten up. He found work in a Chinese restaurant but was paid far less than his colleagues.
A local gang recruited him to hawk illegal video compact discs . Soon he was told to help collect debts. He was later given a more “important” job by his “Big Brother”, who promised to pay him handsomely. The man had treated Vui Kong well – feeding him, clothing him and taking him out to fancy restaurants. Vui Kong felt compelled to do anything “Big Brother” said. More importantly, he needed the money. His mother was suffering from severe depression and he wanted to help pay for her treatment.
He started delivering“gifts” to various clients. He did not know it initially, but the colourfully gift-wrapped packages contained drugs.
In 2007, Vui Kong was caught while making a delivery in Singapore. The police found 47.27 grammes of heroin on him. A judge eventually handed him the mandatory death sentence for drug trafficking.
Harsh Reality
In Singapore, hangings take place at dawn on a Friday. Prisoners are only told about their impending execution on Monday. Vui Kong broke down when he was informed that he would be put to death on 4 December 2009. He hadn’t seen his mother in more than two years. She was still battling depression and all through this time, the family had decided to keep the truth from her. But the thought of not saying goodbye was too much for Vui Kong to bear and his siblings decided to fly her to Singapore.
They finally met three days before the scheduled execution. It was an emotional reunion. Vui Kong knelt down before his mother, bowing to her three times. He then begged for her forgiveness and told her he had to “go away forever” to do “penance” for all the bad things he had done. He told her she would never see him again.
Did she understand the meaning behind his words? Perhaps we will never know. What must have been clear to her though was that her son had undergone a dramatic transformation. He had embraced a new way of life in prison and was now a devout Buddhist. He would wake up at 4am every morning to meditate and he eagerly sought the advice of the Buddhist monks who visited him regularly.
For the first time in his life, he was taught to discern right from wrong. He also realised that contrary to what he was told as a child, cigarettes were not the same as drugs. “If I knew they would harm anyone, I would surely not do the job,” he said in his clemency appeal to the President in 2009.
He found a friend in prison – a 22-year-old from Malaysia, who was also received the death penalty for drug trafficking. The boy would die just three months before Vui Kong’s scheduled execution. He was a trembling mess the day before the hanging. Vui Kong would later tell his brother that he stayed up all night comforting his friend, urging him to meditate so he could face his final moments with inner peace.
The next morning, the boy had to be dragged from his cell to the execution chamber, crying, wailing and begging to be freed and to be forgiven.
For himself, Vui Kong continues to hope for a miracle. He’s even started to learn English so he can better communicate with his lawyer.
“He is remorseful and feels he should be severely punished,” his brother Yun Leong explained, “but he wants to live so he can continue seeing us, seeing our mother again. He wants to keep learning and meditating and being a better person.”
When the court granted him a stay of execution in December, one of the first people to pay Vui Kong a visit was his lawyer. During the meeting, Vui Kong presented him a gift – a picture that had taken him weeks to complete.
“He would kneel for hours as he drew,” his lawyer said.
The picture is a colourful interpretation of one of the manifestations of Lord Buddha – he is standing at the gates of hell, saving souls from eternal damnation.
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Photos courtesy of The Death Penalty in Singapore
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Traffickers inmaterial whether small or big timers, they deserve it for the drugs that could lead to more addiction. I strongly support mandatory death sentence for drug trafficking.
Andrew,
Another moving piece from you, good stuff. Can I clarify with you – what is the nature of the hearing on Monday? Is it going to be a procedural hearing or can the appeal be thrown out on the same day/decision is made on Monday itself?
Cheers
Bhavan
Crocodile Tears!!!!!!!!!!!! Hang this drug trafficker!!!!
The truth is:
Dismissing the defence arguments, Deputy Public Prosecutors Peter Koy and Stella Tan argued that some of the packets had their ends opened and Yong would have seen the drugs.
Perhaps most damaging was the evidence of Yong’s accomplice Reggie Gwee Chin Hian, 22, who testified that he had received drugs from Yong five to six occasions between May and June last year.
There had also been two past instances when the drugs were not wrapped when he received them.
From: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_302234.html
He should be given a second chance.So young and is life is over, that is not right. The death penalty should be abolished. It is inhumane and barbaric. Come on Singapore join the 1st world. No more death sentences.
I think death penalty should be restricted to murder. That includes escaped manslaughter criminals like that Romanian ambassador.
Everybody can be addicted to anything. Beer, sex, online games, gambling etc.
In fact, I think the SG govt should look into legalizing medical marijuana instead of coming up with a knee-jerk response that ‘all drugs are bad!’. Marijuana has proven and documented medical benefits, look it up.
Not too long ago, it was unthinkable that Singapore would have a casino… now we have two. Circumstances change, and so do policies. Perhaps when old folks are everywhere and they need some cheap and efficient drug for their ailments, the SG govt will have no choice but to do a U-turn on its stance on certain banned drugs, and along with it the mandatory death penalty for traffickers.
being born poor in singapore is the mandatory death penalty…..
Has the boy’s action directly caused any deaths?
How about that Romanian ex-diplomat?
romanian diplomat was above the law, so he was let go and we did nothing. maybe we are hoping the malaysian police will do us another favour by capturing him in addition to mat selamat. he he he
He should have known Sngapore’s draconian law regarding drug trafficking.
All he had to do was to say NO and walk away. He probably received a terrible beating from his ‘gangster’ friends, but still he may walk away with his life. Now he’s paying for it.
Mr Andrew Loh, is writing this story to wring out sympathy from us. But we must not forget, there are other worse cases than Yong Vui Kong, when they are young, and they are able to overcome the odds without resorting to crime. Though this may sound simplistic, it is the lure of easy money without the need to work so hard on top of the excitement/adrenaline factor that lures people into a life of crime. And we must not forget, the lives destroyed by the drugs; the drugs abuser and his family.
Being someone whose family has been wrecked by drugs, I have no sympathy for drug traffickers, no matter what circumstances forces them to do so. Unless, if that someone has been duped into drug trafficking.
cbl Mar 13, 2010 10:07
“Traffickers inmaterial whether small or big timers, they deserve it for the drugs that could lead to more addiction.”
Then setting up IR does not lead to gambling addiction?????
cbl = ch*e b*e lah!
Everyone is equal but some are more equal than others. Nevertheless, no one has the right to kill anyone.
Those who cry for blood here will pay with blood eventually with no mercy too.
Singapore has a huge karma debt in many areas. Crime must be punished but discretion must always be used to ascertain the right punishment.
Incredulous, I did not read the article as an attempt to wring sympathies. I think the story is about the difficult circumstances that led to Yong’s involvement in the drug-trafficking trade. And I think it is unfair for you to impose your privilege position i.e. “All he had to do was to say NO and walk away…” onto his situation. While there are other “worse cases” who could “overcome the odds”, these cases do not and should not demonize and make a moral exception out of those whom you describe as lazy, feckless criminals easily swayed by “the lure of easy money without the need to work so hard”. Imagine that I could also apply your line of thinking to drug abusers – they are weak and easily lured into drugs, unlike others who could overcome the temptation.
I wonder if this Fascist-like thinking, epitomized by your Minister Mentor when he says (something like) the Singapore’s system (of governance etc) is perfect and the only reason why it is not working is because Singaporeans are unmotivated – is perhaps endemic to Singaporeans such as yourself.
You all must be crazy to demand a MANDATORY death penalty…..if somebody who really hates you plant some drugs on you….I will probably see you begging on your knees for your life.
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for letting us in on what most of us would just regard as just another drug mule.
Everyone one of those on death row has a heart-renching story to tell us. We are no better than them- we are just luckier. We didn’t have to make hard decisions that Yong had. Let’s hope against hope that there is mercy in our justice system.
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Incredulous
Mar 13, 2010 15:08
How can you assume that Yong knows of the laws of Singapore regarding drug trafficking?
“All he had to do was to say NO” is a terrible thing to say. You make it sound so simple when the elements that compelled him to partake in these activities are just so complex. Are you sure that he would have been able to “walk away with his life” when there might not be even a life to speak of?
We have to admit that the past years have been extremely challenging for him and he might not have had the choices that many would assume were available to him.
How can you make such a hasty generation as to assume that the circumstances that lead to drug trafficking are universal?
No doubt, in a metaphorical manner, drugs have destroyed lives but does it then justify us to allow the lives to be literally destroyed?
As a person who has had first-hand experience regarding drug trafficking, should the circumstances not allow you to understand his plight better? What makes you think he was not duped into drug trafficking?
The thing about law is that it is merciless to the small nobodies and blind to the blatant evil of ‘powerful’ men. Sadly some cases are lost due to the incompetency of lawyers while others get off on technicality due to connections and craftiness of presentation. If this case is truthful, be good on the state to consider a relook into the pleads. There are many death deserving crimes… eg romanian diplomat/ mas salamat and yet the state(s) are investing money for their existence. Where is the lady with the balance?
this guy is just a stupid ignorant kid. i dont understand why they are hanging him. let him go, give him a chance to contribute to society.
if he reoffends again, then hang him. but come on, kid is only 19 and is illiterate and doesn’t even speak english.
if this kid was in other countries like australia, new zealand, he would receive around 9 years jail (parole earlier, maybe 4-5 years).
too bad, he chose the wrong country.
singapore sucks
@Jack
Nope…..i do know….The burden of proving that you are not trafficking drugs is on you. The state prosecution don’t even need to do anything to hang you. As long u can’t prove it, say bye bye to your life. What if that guy is really innocent, but he can’t prove it? Think about it.
Jack and incredulous
The way the law works here is you’re guilty until you can prove your innocence. To bring up the law in any sort of argument is a pointless simply because the law is a joke.
I hope you’re clear on the difference between the MANDATORY death penalty and the death penalty. They are very different things. And if you don’t think that making it compulsory for someone to die for a crime is not draconian, you need to rethink a lot of things.
You see Yong as a criminal. But do you realise that he is but a speck of dust in the intricate drug trade? He is a nobody. If you really want to stop drug trading, do you not go after the source instead of the supply line? What possible logical justification could one offer for executing a drug mule?
Don’t even think of heading into arguments like deterrence, drugs ruining lives, “if i can stay away why can’t he” etc. MDP as a deterrent has not been proven to be effective, drugs will do no harm if people do not make the choice to abuse them, and the argument that if put in a similar situation, you would’ve made the right choice simply does not work because you don’t know for sure.
So please, it’s not about sympathy. It’s not about victimization. It’s about how we can tell someone that he MUST die because man-made laws say so, and not be bothered, firstly ,that it does not solve anything and secondly, that there are better ways to handle the situation.
As someone who have experienced the way drugs wreck havoc to the the family, and as someone who mix and were part of the underbelly of Singapore.
I will not change my stand!
You guys may sympathies, with Yong. But I will not.
We must not forget, he means to make a profit from the sale of drugs.
Whatever, the law is at the moment to deal with such people; cruel or not…..you have the right to voice out against it and I will not challenge that. But you must accept the possible consequences if we allow leniency and our laws are relaxed.
It easy to feel remorse and feel sorry once you are caught. But where is the remorse and feeling of guilt before he was caught? It is easy to say from the comforts of your home if you’re own flesh and blood are not mired in drugs.
So, do what you must……voice out for changes in our legal system; change it if you want….But be forewarned, be ready to accept the consequences.
I hope jack and incredulous get caught and granted MDP for anything possible regardless of whether you are guilty or not. Till then you want a second chance? Go get it from the Lords of Hell. I don’t see why someone’s death can make you so happy. Heartless hollow shells wasting earth’s resources. At least Kong is repenting and praying to buddha for his mum and family. What have you done?
“This is the surest cure for all diseases. If you want to eliminate all crime, you got to eliminate all humanity.” – Walter Raleigh.
Deterrence is the drum which has been beaten to death. Pardon the irony. Yet, even unto death, deterrence has shown no substance. There is simply and plainly no evidence whatsoever to back deterrence.
There simply is none.
Otherwise, our government would be showing us charts and statistics, studies and arguments, which support it. But our govt has not.
What does that tell you – especially for a govt which is obsessed with statistics and studies and the sort?
So, here’s something to ponder from David Saul Marshall:
“I’d like them to also understand that justice is a meld of law and humanity. Law and humanity; decency in concepts; if we administer law by the soulless logic of the computer, we aren’t on our road to progress.”
Yet, in Singapore, we do not give much weight to humanity and such like. How then do you become a “first world” nation? How then do the hearts and minds of your people progress as humanity must?
The more than 100 countries around the world which has abolished the death penalty should tell you something, no? Should it not make you pause, stop and think about why it is that most nations in the world have abolished or on the way to abolishing this most utterly insane law?
So, please pause. Think. Stop.
The only saving grace for proponents of the mandatory death penalty is the argument of deterrence. Yet, this argument is hidden by shadows. It is a phantom. It does not hold any weight. It has no form.
It is just purely and utterly, illusion. Imagination.
A feel-good excuse for us as we put another to die.
It really is nothing more than that.
And thus, it makes us all blind and says all about us – a society which pretends to be first world. A society which pretends to value Life. A society which says one thing and acts in another way.
And so the question is this:
Why do we take the life of another based on the shadowy excuse of deterrence?
Is that good enough for us?
If it is, then perhaps, as Walter Raleigh said, we should eliminate all crimes by eliminating all criminals.
Jack
You have failed to see the point. I’m going to try and make this as simple as i can.
Firstly, and i cannot emphasize this enough, drugs are incapable of issuing threats. “Snort me or die!” No. They are not. If your argument is that drug traffickers cause harm, then you really need to stop using it. Because first, like i said, drugs are incapable of force. Humans, people, we make choices, and sometimes our decision is to abuse drugs.
Second, you do not seem to understand the concept of supply and demand. If your reasoning is that we should go after the drug mules because going after drug lords means “when will it end”, then I really don’t think you should be embarrassing yourself here. That logic is so flawed, i find it difficult to even attempt to explain it to you. So perhaps someone else here will bother, because i’m certainly not.
The deterrent argument is so, so dense. It is not about whether it has been proven to be ineffective. That is not that measurement. You don’t eat a hot dog and go “mmm that does not taste extremely bad”. You go “mmm that taste good”. Same logic. It is about whether MDP is effective as a deterrent, and it clearly is not. And, when did we decide that deterrents work anway? Did the prospect of getting expelled from school stop you from playing truant or cheating in an exam?
He did not “choose to victimize others”. He chose, like many who live in poverty, to try and make a little money. It may have been illegal, but he certainly does not deserve a MANDATORY death penalty. A society dictated by me would ensure that everyone had an equal chance to argue their case in front of a JURY, regardless of their crime. A society dictated by you, on the other hand, would be narrow-minded, xenophobic, and would execute anyone who “victimized people for money”. I’d put my money on myself anyday.
Well, I was surprised that there still seems to have equal number of comments for the death and against it. I thought the idea was to repeatedly write such stories until everyone else was sick of commenting… except those that are against it, that is.
it is not whether he knows it is right or wrong , ie mens rea.
it is the basic principle that the punishment must fit the crime.
you cannot deny that sentences in singapore are often 2.5-3 times longer than those in other developed country.
the prison conditions is much harsher and i would say, inhumane compare to those in other developed countries as well.
@hansen
“it is the basic principle that the punishment must fit the crime.”
but who decides proportionality?
as you can see, some people think it’s not alright and others think it’s alright.
so whose opinion count more?
here is the irony-
i don’t know if mdp has a deterrence effect. that is debatable.
but i know for sure-
if we have mdp on paper but never carry it out, it will not have any deterrence.
“The punishment must fit the crime.”
An oft-repeated dictum.
The other one which is forgotten and which is just as important, if not more so:
“The punishment must fit the criminal.”
Hang a 19-year old?
Death for a first-time offence?
Lets not take the “punishment must fit the crime” dictate too far, especially when what is more important is for the punishment to fit the criminal.
“He jolly well know the consequences.”
Er. How do you know that he knew?
if not the death penalty then what ? Can locking him up in a bare room for life be considered humane ??
I am quite sure Vui Kong did not bear an ounce of concern for the addict while he was raking in the money from his illict activities. Perhaps he might even felt a sense of invincibility being a part of a gang.
Why is it that criminals only find god after they are caught red handed ??
“Why is it that criminals only find god after they are caught red handed ??”
Er. Because they realise they’ve done wrong? If that is the case, shouldn’t the law provide an avenue for remorse, repentence and conversion?
I am a believer that punishment must fit the crime.
In this case, to hang a small time drug mule is too harsh esp one like Vui who is still young and had not a fair chance in life due to broken family.
A long sentence would be fairer.
@Incredulous
Nope…there is some error….i am anti-MDP but i can’t post too
@Incredulous
Nope…there is some error….i am anti-MDP but i can’t post too!!
Anyway,
MDP means the burden of proving u are innocent is on you. The prosecution don’t need to do anything for the judge to hang you. What if, though minute the chance, drugs is planted on somebody and he/she cannot prove that he is not carrying drugs? I support death penalty for certain crimes but for drug trafficking? That’s a very grey line.
I am quite perturbed that there are ten times as many views for the Op-Ed piece on Jack Neo’s scandal, compared to something as pressing as this. Well anyway, its continuing hearsay that the current Court of Appeal Judges are the strongest (and the most thoughtful) that Singapore has seen yet, so lets hope we get to see something revolutionary tomorrow. God Bless His Soul
Incredulous said, “voice out for changes in our legal system; change it if you want….But be forewarned, be ready to accept the consequences.”
So we can expect you to say the same thing to the Singapore government regarding the casino?
Jack
The users are subjected to the same punishment? Really? I don’t think I got that memo buddy.
I’m not saying that traffickers aren’t part of the supply line. I’m saying why go after the minions instead of the boss? How will executing a mule make things better? The objective is… to make things better, no?
Yes, Jack, there is no proof that it acts well as a deterrent. Repeating it doesn’t make it false. And who’s asking to get rid of the penalty. We’re asking to get rid of the MANDATORY death penalty. Please, refer back from time to time so you don’t get sidetracked.
Do you honestly think it’s easy money? To risk your life every single day to make money. If you think it is, I hate to imagine what kind of work you’re doing. The fact is you don’t know what he was thinking. You cannot compare yourself with him, because that would be arrogant and ignorant. What you can do, Jack, is realise that not everyone works the same way, and no matter what, compulsory murder should not exist in this “first-world nation”.
THIS BOY SHOULD BE SPARED.
Yes I know, Jack. It was sarcasm. User means consumption. Possession is a different matter altogether.
Because it is lucrative. Because it is GOOD money. Not easy, and certainly not quick. And there are only so many reasons people decide to traffick drugs for good money.
Yes, he carried drugs. He’s not the only one either. Again, nobody is saying he isn’t at fault. Nobody is saying he shouldn’t be punished. But why does it have to be a MANDATORY death sentence? An Sri Lankan national killed a prostitute early this year, and he got sentenced to jail for manslaughter. Does the punishment fit the crime? Surely you’re smart enough to see that something is seriously wrong here.
i think you have to read more about criminology and justice systems all over the world to understand what i am talking about
singapore’s laws are too harsh. prison conditions are inhumane. it is as simple as that. sentences handed down in singapore are often 2.5-3 times those in the uk and other developed countries (incl asian countries like taiwan, japan, s.korea and hong kong).
drug offences do not deserve the death penalty. a 10 year bid is more than enough. if you were a trafficker, that would be enough to deter you. how many 10 years does a man have? only a schizophrenic would think alright, only 10 years, lets do it.
singapore should bring its prison conditions and penal sentences in line with international norms of developed countries. it is ironic that our penal system is from the uk yet our sentences are so much harsher than theirs. our prison conditions when compared to the uk is a travesty of human rights.
singapore has the 2nd highest number of people behind bars per capita in the world. and singapore is the country that hangs the most people in the world. the second, saudi arabia, hangs only 33% of what singapore hangs.
cant the govt see it is the lack of democracy, human rights and this unbelievable inhumane attitude towards penal punishment that is pushing singaporeans overseas?
we are humans not robots. we all make mistakes in life. some are unlucky to get caught. some get away with it. what we need to do is to pinch those who are a threat to society and those hardcore offenders. we need to give those first time offenders who commit crimes that do not threaten society and those kids a chance.
compared to hong kong, macao, monacco, and other city states, singapore’s crime rates is just about the same as theirs. we need to relax our laws and lower the overall sentences dealt out by the courts. and improve on the dire prison conditions.
For those people going on about how the poor ignorant boy didn’t know of the consequences… have you ever traveled into Singapore? The MDP for drug offences is in BIG BOLD PRINT on custom cards, it’s printed on signs. If you fly in, the airplane crew will freaking announce it before you leave the plane. All these warnings are shown before you enter our jurisdiction.
The MDP is not some obscure small print on a credit card contract. It is not a complex legal technicality. This is a provision for which we get regular criticism from foreign and domestic bleeding hearts. It’s absolutely clear. IF YOU BRING IN DRUGS, WE HANG YOUR ASS.
It’s like saying that a bridge collapsed, the workers put out a big sign saying BROKEN BRIDGE AHEAD, and the moron driver who drove off the broken bridge is somehow not the one at fault.
I simply cannot understand how people can say he (or any drug trafficker) can say he didn’t know the law.
And for those saying he didn’t know the packages were drugs, I believe that the DPP adduced evidence at trial to prove that he had made multiple similar deliveries in the past, and that some the packages delivered were NOT sealed. What the hell did he think he was being paid so much to deliver? Talcum powder?
I also wonder why TOC didn’t publish the fact that these pieces of evidence were adduced. One of your editors is legally trained, surely he would know the value of such evidence towards securing a conviction. Such an omission misrepresents drug trials in Singapore and makes it look like the prosecution sit down shake leg and get unfair convictions.
I understand that TOC has an agenda, but such sob stories with valid factual omissions do a disservice to informed debate.
chiper, we are not saying that he doesn’t know.
we are just saying that the death penalty is manifestly excessive for drug cases and should be done away with. only murder of the first degree deserves the death penalty. and even then, i would prefer life imprisonment so that the criminal can be rehabilliated instead of being killed. he may come out after 20 years a new man.
i wonder if that kid can even read english to be honest.
the boy is only 19 or 20 then. he is not even old enough to sign a contract or vote. why? because society deems him as not mature enough to understand the consequences of his actions and to judge people, hence he cannot vote or sign legally binding contracts. he is under the age of majority, he is a minor, he is not an adult.
what makes you think he fully understands what trafficking drugs will do to his life? you were 19 once, how were you like when you were 19? i see 19 year old kids on the streets all the time and most of them look very easy to manupilate. laughing all the time, still very immature.
hansen,
actually, he can vote (in his own country). Even if you are talking about Singapore, how many times have we questioned our own age limit of 21? Can go army but can’t vote, ring any bell?
jack,
what makes you think he is not afraid? i bet he is shivering in his cell this very moment as we type on the internet.
he is just a kid who does not understand the consequences of his action. you can have the death penalty, death by shooting, death by nuclear bomb and there will still kids and criminals who will do it.
it may come as a surprise to your closed mind, but many drugs are less harmful than cigarrettes and alcohol. numerous studies have been done. in many countries like netherlands and mexico, certain drugs are legal. you can buy them from the government and smoke them on the streets.
prison will never be a holiday chatlet, even in the uk/us/australia/canada/japan etc. you get a criminal record and you are deprived of your liberty. that is harsh enough for normal people. the hardcore offenders normally get assigned a higher security tag overseas so they enjoy less luxuries and they get a much longer sentence as well. but in singapore, all inmates are treated in the same inhumane manner. overseas, they have proper beds and tv in each cell for inmates to pass their time. in singapore inmates sleep on hard floor no beds no pillow. obviously it is very hard to fall asleep and it leaves them with backache etc. and no tv etc leaves them with staring at the walls all day long. many singaporean inmates develop mental illness and try to commit suicide. some turn schizophrenic from the harsh environment and their entire life is gone. others suffer from depression etc.
you need to travel around the world. you will realise that cities in america, canada, europe are just as safe as in singapore. and their inmates have laptops, internet, drink tea, play psp etc. some of the people there dont even lock their doors at home. hong kong is as safe as singapore as well. a lot more vibrant as well.
the current system just brings out the worst in all of us. that is all it does. it does not solve anything. it just drives singaporeans away from singapore and leave them disgusted.
do you want to live in saudi arabia? they chop off the hands of petty shoplifters there. i think you will find youself at home there.
In 2001, Portugal became the first European country to abolish all criminal penalties for personal drug possession. In addition, drug users were to be targeted with therapy rather than prison sentences. Research commissioned by the Cato Institute and led by Glenn Greenwald found that in the five years after the start of decriminalisation, illegal drug use by teenagers had declined, the rate of HIV infections among drug users had dropped, deaths related to heroin and similar drugs had been cut by more than half, and the number of people seeking treatment for drug addiction had doubled. However, Peter Reuther, a professor of criminology and public policy at the University of Maryland, College Park, while conceding that Portuguese decriminalization met its central goal of stopping the rise in drug use, suggests that the heroin usage rates and related deaths may have been due to the cyclical nature of drug epidemics[10].
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In the Netherlands 9.7% of young adults (aged 15–24) consume soft drugs once a month, comparable to the level in Italy (10.9%) and Germany (9.9%) and less than in the UK (15.8%) and Spain (16.4%),[20] but higher than in, for example, Sweden (3%), Finland or Greece.[3] The monthly prevalence of drugs other than cannabis among young people (15-24) was 4% in 2004, that was above the average (3%) of 15 compared countries in EU. However, seemingly few transcend to becoming problem drug users (0.3%), well below the average (0.52%) of the same compared countries.[3]
@hansen
Are you American? Just asking because you talk about concepts like first degree murder which do not exist in Singapore law. Also, life imprisonment in Singapore is taken literally, you stay in there till the day you die unless you get pardoned by the president. What then, is there to rehabilitate? Even if he is released and rehabilitated, how do we ensure that the value we get back from him is equal or greater than the amount it took to rehabilitate him?
It does not matter if he could read english. IIRC, the warnings on the immigration card and the signs are in multiple languages. Furthermore, Malaysia has the same laws as Singapore on this matter, so it’s not like he can claim it’s an alien concept.
When I was 19, I was in the army, as most males in Singapore will be. When I was younger, I was studying hard in school. Now, I am working. I think it’s fair to say that this is the general pattern for most Singaporeans, given that we are a disciplined, law abiding people.
My point is that making such a big fuss about what a hard life he has had really says nothing. One does not have to be smart or rich to avoid ever committing a crime given that most people do that perfectly well. Being in dire straits merely increases the temptation to earn easy money via crime, it does not force one to. Many poor people go through worse and still make something of themselves by sheer hard work. He intentionally made the criminal choice and now he faces the consequences.