January 2011 – that’s the date the Registrar of the Supreme Court has set for the Court of Appeal to hear Yong Vui Kong’s appeal against the High Court’s decision on his judicial review application.
Vui Kong’s lawyer was today informed that the appeal hearing has been set “for the week commencing 17 January 2011”.
“This early notice is to give sufficient time for parties to be ready for the hearing, though we are aware that the record of appeals and cases have still not been filed,” the Registrar’s letter said.
The High Court had, on 13 August, dismissed Vui Kong’s appeal for judicial review concerning the authority to grant presidential clemency. Justice Chong ruled that the power to grant clemency “rests solely with the Cabinet” and that the President has no discretion in this.
Justice Chong also laid down that the courts have no power to review the clemency process.
The court was asked to adjudicate on Law Minister K Shanmugam’s remarks made in public before Vui Kong had filed his appeal for presidential clemency and while the Court of Appeal was deliberating Vui Kong’s appeal against his sentence. Vui Kong’s lawyer, Mr M Ravi, argued that the minister’s remarks had prejudiced Vui Kong’s appeal. Justice Chong, in his ruling, said he saw “nothing objectionable about the Minister’s statement”.
Mr Ravi later submitted a notice of appeal to the courts informing them that he intends to appeal Justice Chong’s decisions.
Vui Kong was originally scheduled to be hanged on 4 December 2009.
The original deadline for Vui Kong to submit his presidential clemency appeal was 26 August. The Singapore Prison Service has since informed Mr Ravi that it has extended the deadline until after the Court of Appeal’s hearing.
In the meantime, the Malaysian government sent a letter of appeal for clemency to the Singapore government on Vui Kong’s behalf on 29 July. The Singapore government has yet to respond to the letter. On 26 August, a group of Malaysian lawyers and parliamentarians handed a memorandum to the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur asking for Singapore to show mercy to Vui Kong.
Vui Kong’s family, together with MP for Sabah, Datuk Chua Soon Bui, and supporters, paid a visit to the Istana on 24 August to plead for Vui Kong to be given a second chance. The family members handed over 100,000 signatures collected in both Malaysia and Singapore in support of the plea. (Read TOC’s report here.)
The campaign to save Vui Kong has gathered pace in recent weeks, with many non-governmental organizations, politicians (both from the ruling party and from the opposition), Buddhists associations and youth groups, giving their support to the clemency request.
Singapore’s President, SR Nathan, has never granted any clemency appeals in his 11 years in office as Head of State.
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When there is HOPE, there is always LIFE.
Miracles have a way to work itself with those who remain faithful.
Malaysians and Singaporeans will find common cause to unite and overwhelm the petty pride and useless rivalry of politicians that prevent meaningful accomplishments for the common good.
Is important to remove Ravi, get another lawyer to represent Vui Kong. With Ravi around I don’t think VK stand any chance.
If Vui Kong is pardoned, many people in both Malaysia and Singapore will be feel happy for Vui Kong.
However if the Singapore government chooses to remain stubborn, probably only LKY and his animal farm will remain happy. The choice is yours.
Many of us will also make our own choice for a kinder government.
YVK’s will hearing is set in Jan 2011. So, the results will be after election. You know the answer whether YVK will be pardoned!
Nathan is a PoS!
January? They are waiting for the news cycle to die then they can execute him when nobody’s paying attention anymore
WAH! This is what I call cooling off period. After Jan 2011, it’s time to execute. People will think that they have at least achieved something to delay the execution but in fact it’s just for show. Where have you seen in the history of Singapore when the ruling party is the PAP forgiveness for any crime? Yes, they will only forgive if there is an economic reason to do so.
Toc, please, please, please step up the campaign. You don’t need to rely only on “news” for more stories on this topic, you can also run an educational campaign.
Dear All
The time frame has now shifted to January 2011 for the case at the court of appeal to determine article 100 of the Constitution. Whether or not Ravi can overcome the written Judgement of Justice Steve Chong will be settled by March 2011. Procedure wise Clemency or any clemency appeal will not come into play until after the court of appeal’s decision.
Astute
Its time for L.K.Y to do some good deeds to redeem himself.
So, I read that Election is by year end.
well done , continue developing.. included commonwealth and international court as well…..
This time I think the ruler will give nathan a chance to act on it. Anyway they dont want nathan to retire next year and start voicing the detail of the data he know during his president time. Nathan also need the face value for him and family.
I really want to get involved in the whole idea to save Vui Kong.
I just want to clarify a point as I happen to be in my mid forties, whether it is right to do this. As I heard from my friends and from a few netizens, the people who are driving this save VK campaign are all 12 year olds.
I just dont want to be out of place. If you understand me.
For adults who are serious abt helping VK. And wish to know more about the legal points of views concerning the MDP.
It would be a great starting point to read up on Siew Kum Hong’s take about the recent high court ruling concerning the role of the President in relation to clemency.
Another excellent read is dotseng, this is a two parter. The first part glosses over Kum Hong’s write up. But I found the second parter about “broken windows” analysis fascinating and very educational nonetheless.
Finally, a good site to look into from time to time is the Singapore law society and also, the Malaysian Law Society who regular feature great writes up on anti death penalty issues.
I hope this helps.
When a person commit a crime, hre must serve out the punishment.
SIngapore should not pardon crimnals, especially drug traffickers as they cause harm to society and people.
Gate…. we are not talking about freedom for Vui Kong, but about commuting the death penalty to time in prison, presumably, a life sentence.
It’s all in the hand of ‘someone’ to determine if there is hope for Yong Vui Kong.
By the way, this ‘someone’ is not God, not an immortal, but has power to put Yong to death or otherwise.
When a person is in ‘twilight’ years, as compared to this very young boy, that person is sure to value life more,unless MERCY AND COMPASSION are not in that person’s dictionary.
I still have hope however slim his hope may be.
Do you know why the case is postponed to Jan 2011? It’s because the General Election will be held by end of 2010 or early Jan 2011. So this case won’t be the election issue.
Conversely, they might intentionally spare his life and use the act as a marketing ploy to gain more votes, given that the ground sentiments on many issues aren’t looking too positive.
So in a way we can guess if his life will be spared just by the timing of the elections. If they hold it before Jan, most likely he’ll be executed, if still no elections announced come Jan, most probably they are planning to pardon him.
Maybe, just maybe they feel do not want to offend the M’sian Chinese as they feel they are on their side. Esp now that Ravi has woken them up? Which makes me wonder whether Sg will conquer M’sia with help of the M’sian Chinese community? Who knows, with all the sand pilfering allegations going on.
jumper
Quote: “the people who are driving this save VK campaign are all 12 year olds.”
So are you saying it is a good thing or a bad thing?
If 12 yr olds don’t know anything, pls bear in mind VK was a 17 or 18 yrs old, barely 6 yrs older, when he was arrested. In just 6 yrs do you think the teenager’s judgement &/or maturity is formed at that age to confirm that he is permenantly evil therefore the need to extinguish his life?
Even murderers do not get MDP. They get a chance in court to prove that they did it in self defence, lost their mind, being made use of to kill, are provoked, etc etc, to decide their sentencing. And what happens when a 17 yr old commits murder in order to survive?
It is easy to say there are alternative routes that VK could have taken but until the individual case is analysed & every detail weighed out, you should not condemn the boy to death.
If the law says this is the way, but there are flaws in the law, we can & should improve on the law. Law is written by men & women to have a better society, not the other way round.
Is the ruling party really that void of humanity to decide a boy’s life based on their chance of winning the election?
Is the monetary stake more important to the ruling party than a young life? I said monetary because PAP ministers pay are in millions of $.
This episode shows so clearly the type of people you are going to vote. Are you going to vote people who only care about their power & money?
If the authorities do something to amend the out-of-date law, and start doing the right thing which requires hard work (like going after drug lords, educating young people about drug abuse & campaigning against ) they might just win back the people.
You write..”Singapore’s President, SR Nathan, has never granted any clemency appeals in his 11 years in office as Head of State.”
ABSOLUTELY.
With respect, what REAL say does he have..er..in anything??
Only those who have experienced pains know what is pain.
I really think this is pure crap! Why are we supporting a criminal just because he is young? This is nonsense! What happens if a 15 yr old stabs your parents, your child, your GF, wife to death. Will you appeal against his death sentence?!?!
For goodness sake, he is a criminal. A drug trafficker!! He is not 10 yrs old. He knows the risks, he wants the $$$ and now he pays the price. I am sure he has done it numerous times and this time he is caught! So why appeal for this trash of society?
Pls do not degrade the quality of online citizen with this appeal and article. It is so obvious that foreigners and human rights idiots are trying to screw us singaporeans for having such a great law that protects us against these criminals.
Lets spend more quality time on those matters that require our attention.
Agreed with xinglu. Let him go up or down.
xinglu, what if its your loved ones who committed this crime?
I don’t think its nice to post like that.
Dear Xinglu,
May you have peace…
sg approach to vice is funny. built ir and allow people to gamble. drawn the red light district and allow people to prostitue, pimp and womanise. why taking drugs so serious meh?
sorry, typo error. having not taking.