The following was first published on We Believe In Second Chances.
Dear Presidential Candidates,
My name is Kirsten Han, and I am one of the co-founders of We Believe In Second Chances. I was very encouraged to see my fellow campaigner Priscilla present at The Online Citizen’s Face 2 Face 2, to be able to speak with all of you on the death penalty. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for sharing your opinions on this issue.
For the first time in 18 years, Singaporeans will be able to vote for their Elected President. Many of us hope for an independent President who will be able to represent Singaporeans. But for another group of people (both Singaporean and non-Singaporean), this election takes on a darker significance – for them, the people of Singapore will be electing the man who will very possibly be signing their death warrants.
To Mr Tan Kin Lian and Mr Tan Jee Say, we at Second Chances are very heartened to hear about your concerns with the President’s powers (or lack thereof) in the granting of clemency.
To Dr Tony Tan and Dr Tan Cheng Bock, we hope to be able to engage with you and draw you into a deeper discussion to see the our concerns, shared by a number of other Singaporeans.
At present, Second Chances is trying to raise awareness of and campaign for three death row inmates: Yong Vui Kong, Cheong Chun Yin and Roslan bin Bakar. All three have exhausted all legal avenues, and are at the clemency stage. Their petitions have been submitted; all that is left is for the response to be given.
As a presidential candidate, there is a very real possibility that you might be the one to be giving this response, telling these three men whether they can live or die.
Yong Vui Kong is 23 years old this year. He had been arrested at the age of 19 in possession of 42.27g of heroin. Unlike Ahmad Zahir Ismail, a gang member who was spared from jail and caning earlier this month, Vui Kong was sentenced to death under the Mandatory Death Penalty.
Vui Kong is now repentant, and has spent the past 4 years studying, meditating (he is now a devout Buddhist) and trying his best to atone for his mistakes within prison walls. He is not asking for acquittal and release. He is only asking to be allowed to live, so that he may continue in his self-improvement and meditation.
Cheong Chun Yin was charged with trafficking in over 2kg of heroin. However, he maintains to his day that he had been under the impression that he was only smuggling gold bars for a friend from the pasar malam where he worked. He also cooperated fully with the investigating officers, giving them details and even the phone numbers of the man who had arranged the whole job for him.
However, the investigating officers made no attempt to trace this man. The trial judge also ruled that it was “immaterial” that the officers did not make “adequate efforts” to do so.
Like Chun Yin, Roslan bin Bakar also continues to insist upon his innocence even though he is at the last stage of the process. Besides the testimonies of others, there was no concrete evidence proving that Roslan had been at the scene. Roslan also provided an alibi. His mother and step-brother testified in support, but the judge did not believe them.
For Vui Kong, Chun Yin and Roslan, this presidential election is more than just who is the most independent, or who is endorsed by this or that group. This is their very lives at stake.
Dr Tan Cheng Bock, you said at the forum that you would have to “take into account whether if we do away with the death penalty… all those people, all the murderers, all the drug addicts… I don’t know whether clemency for these people is really justified or not because I got to think of the general population.”
As a viewer, the point you made appears to imply that you are considering the issue from a “death or acquittal” standpoint, which is a misconception held by many. However, none of the anti-death penalty campaigners have asked for an inmate to be fully acquitted (unless evidence has proven that he/she is innocent).
In fact, even if he could grant clemency on his own, the President can only commute the death sentence to life imprisonment, and cannot acquit the inmate. Therefore, convicts would still be separated from the general population by life imprisonment. Would this still be harmful to the general population? Must there be death before Singapore can be safe?
You also say – “If we just do away with the death penalty I want to know really what impact is gonna go…”
Conversely, there is no concrete evidence to show that the death penalty acts as an effective deterrent against crimes like drug trafficking. Second Chances believes that it is important to back up arguments for the death penalty with real research and statistics. This is why we are calling for a moratorium so that a study can be done.
To Dr Tony Tan, as a viewer I must confess that I still find your views upon the issue of the death penalty and the President’s powers in granting clemency to be unclear. Although I agree that we must respect Parliament, I would still be most interested to hear your personal opinion on this issue. I know that the Constitution doesn’t allow you any discretion in clemency proceedings, but I also want to know that my President is a compassionate person who will think twice before agreeing to take away another person’s life.
I thank all four of you for entering this race and giving Singaporeans a choice of President for the first time in 18 years. The death penalty remains as one of the major issues concerning the office of the President, and it is one that Second Chances hopes you will give serious consideration to.
Sincerely,
Kirsten Han
Co-founder, We Believe in Second Chances
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Personally I believe both TCB and TT are against the death penalty. However their sense of public duty and the responsibilities of upholding public order with the use of the death penalty seems to override their personal beliefs..esp with TT.
Go & watch Face to Face 2 again. Every candidate made their stands very clearly when questioned.
Tan Jee Say–Clemancy
Tan Kian Lian–Clemancy
Tan Cheng Bock–No Clemancy
Tony Tan–No Clemancy
Good day Mr Han,
My name is Melvin, and I believe in second chance too, for I am one who benefited by the chance given to me. However, I cannot understand the comparison between Yong Vui Kong and Ahmad Zahir Ismail. Anyway, never mind.
Frankly speaking, Singaporean judge seldom will hang people just because they have 15 grams of heroins, for the sentence that person means to kill a person too.
I have known of cases where young silly person with over 20 grams were reduced to less than 15 grams by claiming the presence of impurity. I was told that the Police know they are but the end user, and there are big boys out there who they really want to catch, not those small timers.
I am not sure of your age, or your experience with drugs and those drug addict, as well as the damaged to the people close to them. Many good productive people will turn vice, just to have their fix when they cannot afford to buy.
We don’t have a lot of such cases in Singapore because out law is strict. But there are still cases in various pocket in Singapore. Trust me, if u have friends in CNB, they will tell you many of the sad stories.
Currently, I am residing in Canada, and I frequent USA too. Canada has a much stricter law than USA, no guns. However, because of the proximity, inevitability many of the vice spill over. Why? because as there is no death sentence, many dare to try to bring in drugs.
Imagine if there is no Death Penelty? How many innocent lives will do down the drain? Have u spare a though to those children of the ‘potential’ drug addicts? How about their poor parents? Not to mention friends and relatives.
When u look at Yong Vui Kong along, it is easy to sympathised for him. But if u imagine when the drug did get into the market, how rich will Yong Vui Kong be? That is not the case, but rather, how many more people will have their family damaged
It is never easy for a person to pronounce the death sentence, believe me. But many of my Canadian friends are now saying, perhaps they should have that strict law in their land, especially those who have friends or family who are suffering from the drug abuse.
To me, second chance need to be given. But law still need to be up hold, for we are all living in the fallen world.
So, I cannot agree with you, that death penalty should be remove, for the sake of our society. Stop thinking that the west (with human right) is a better country to stay. Wait till u know of all the silly case that happened here, u will know, that Singapore is a better place.
Regards,
in SG,only the ELITE CLASS can make mistakes- HUGE mistakes – and have second or even third and fourth chances.
not the LESSER MORTALS,we are all sinners,guilty even when ‘INNOCENT’.
for the elites,including ministers n CEOs,they are innocent even if they are guilty because to them every mistake is just a ‘FREAK’ coccurence that comes once in fifty years???
so,help us,GOD.
I believe that in the eyes of our creator and God (of any religion that preaches good over evil), every human life is precious, even the least perfect of them all.
Life is far too complicated for many. In the course of everyone’s shortcoming (Yes, we all do have, especially the hidden ones!), we break the rules in varying degree, the extreme being the law that we have broken. Therefore, let us not be too hasty in passing our moral judgment on others.
If a person’s life is to be taken away, as in the form of capital punishment,it would indeed be a sad moment for mankind. For if we condone such act, we are no better than the one being snuffed out, for his blood is in our hands.
Forgiveness is a tough act to follow, but a virtue worth pursuing. We need to extend 2nd chance to every precious life that might have gone astray. With this change in mindset, I believe there is still Hope in our so caught up society that we live in. Pro-life to all!
The supporters of this decision to hang Roslan apparently have receded to what they do best. Keep silent. After a little while when Roslan has been executed, they will say, “Lets move on.” I strongly suspect that some pact has been made among the police, prosecutors and judge to sacrifice Roslan because it is the most expedient thing to do. I do not think that they hate him intrinsically but because they have fumbled on to this path, they have to keep at it. They cannot be seen to have blundered on a ramshackle course of police work and judicial decision making. Of course, the cabinet will not want to go against the galloping course of action of their colleague in arms. Their mouthpiece, the President will hardly be able to stay the execution of Roslan.
However, I should like to draw the attention of the cabinet in charge of advising the President that, merely looking at the face of the record comprised in the judge’s written decision will convince the average person that Justice has not been done to Roslan. It is possible that an International tribunal can be persuaded to reopen the case after his execution. I suggest to the Cabinet to save themselves this trouble later on by taking the trouble now to read for themselves Judge Choo’s Written Decision noting the twisted logic of his analytical statements. They ought to do his for themselves. My personal appeal to the Cabinet is not for clemency for Roslan. It is not necessary. But I appeal to the Cabinet to do their duty, read the judge’s words and decide for themselves the course of action they should now take.
I hope that whoever is elected President looks through this case, especially Judge Choo’s Written Decision because that is on the face of the record and you do not need to beyond it. Like me you may weep for shame that a man raised up to such eminence in society deigns to bring himself down so low.
VOTE ANY TAN….BUT NOT TONY TAN
Today.., cooling off day.
MAKE TOMORROW …..SATURDAY…THE VERY FIRST DAY OF YOUR LIFE.
MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT.
DON’T VOTE FOR TONY TAN.
Suddenly, the PE got hijack to raise death penalty and LGBTs’ rights as national issues?
But I think the only person probably will yield to all these opportunistic activists is Tan Jee Say…he’s definitely desperate enough to make pacts with these activist groups in order to gain their votes (though he’ll fail miserably because such support exactly spell his doomed attempts, as he has gone against the majority will)!
The general public is now fully aware that TJS had harboured such issues as part of his hidden agenda (besides using the presidential platform to advance SDP fight), and he will be duly punished by the voters in this PE!
Allow me to quote the writer:
“Conversely, there is no concrete evidence to show that the death penalty acts as an effective deterrent against crimes like drug trafficking. Second Chances believes that it is important to back up arguments for the death penalty with real research and statistics. This is why we are calling for a moratorium so that a study can be done.”
With nothing to do with the PE, I would like to question along the same line but in the opposing grain flow… is there any way to back up the argument that doing away the death penalty bring about the maintainence of the staus quo or even improving it??
Dear CYNICAL SS 26 August 2011 and One & All,
CYNICAL SS said:
“Allow me to quote the writer:…”
It IS all about MORAL and rights of human beings is it not?
In the Christian Holy Bible’s one of the TEN COMMANDMENTS IS
“Thou SHALL NOT KILL”!
And we all know that this isn’t about killing other living things BUT IT IS ALL about killing another human being isn’t it? Why so?
Because the COMMANDMENT is straight cut without specifying about human beings. NOW, here the RUB in IMMORALLY and IN the SELF-RIGHTEOUS minds!
God doesn’t have to specify. Because with A CONTRITE HEART, one WILL IMMEDIATELY KNOW that man will have to uproot even a plant to kill it and live even as a vegitarian is it not? So, just because plants don’t walk, doesn’t in our crooked minds exclude it AS A LIVING THING?
NOW, isn’t the COMMANDMENT then ABSOLUTELY refer to the KILLING OF HUMANS? Why so?
Because, man not being the strongest physical still rules this earth with a stronger and more fertile complex mind of a brain. WE, HAVE MORE CHOICES THAT WE CAN AND DO MAKE then any other living things in this earth and WE DO RULE IT DON’T WE?
So, who gave you & me our lives? Our parents? NO! They love and made-love or even made-love like having sex without love and out we come 9 months later! Which human being EVER even just fashioned another human baby’s face and body? Except by toxins and drugs that directly or indirectly but action causes deformity to take root and even propurgate down the generations. THAT’S THE WORST AND THE MAXIMUM HUMAN CAN DO! OH YAH, advocates of cloning geniomes WILL PROCLAIM ALOUD THAT “One day man will be able to do it!” OH REALLY? How and Why?
Except BY MANIPULATION of THE EXISTING Genome, HOW ELSE can humans ever do likewise in natures ways? Oh, I forgot the “Nature is perfect class of techno”! Sorry for this moment! BUT I NOW ASK “What IS and MAKES BEAUTY?”
Well, to put it lightly for more arguments and rancour IT IS: “Natural BEAUTY IS IMperfections”! OOPS! DID I GOOF BIG?
Anyone has hand, feet, faces, bodies, legs and walking styles THAT ARE in Left and RIGHT image perfect? Hope you are now getting it. If you still don’t, you’re gonna have to read the preceding (above) again and again in reflection and deep analysis. BECAUSE…
“REAL BEAUTY IS GOD MADE PERFECT OF IMPERFECTIONS IN UNIQUE FORMS THAT REMOVES ALL MONOTONY of perfections TO CREATE IN DIVERSITY The UNIQUE and GIVEN BUT PRIVATELY OWNED BEAUTY POSSESSED BY NONE OTHER SIMLAR LIVING THINGS IN AND AS A WHOLE”!!!
Far too “Cheem” (Hokkien) or DEEP for understanding? Aren’t we all mostly STUCK in Human norms programmed by SO-CALLED “Men Of Stature and Prominance”? Meaning CONDITIONED BY SOCIAL “norms” applied by such human revered? NO? I think so? Let’s then TRY again!!! To THINK-OUT-OF-THE-SOCIAL-NORMS-BOXES!!!…
1. How many of you ARE not followers of true great men and also of untrue “great” men in question and knowingly not knowing OR trulu unknowing? BE HONEST!
2. How many of you DON’T go GAGA over a MUCH PUBLICISE figure of A MAN or “man”?
3. How many of your DO THINK “OUT-OF-THE-BOX” at least part of the time? Say 25% asking “WHAT IF” questions in YOUR minds at least? NO right!
4. How many of you ARE INTERSTED TO dig deeper for want of a DEEPER AND THOROUGH and even METICULOUS FOR better Learningm, Knowing, Understanding TO GAIN WISDOM in and WITH Common Sense? Can WE???
THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS!!!
If you disagree with me and pride yourself that you do think outside the regular mind box. If you haave another better view, please respond coherently to my 1/4 cents worth of this SHARING.
But if you have not yet even suspect that I am RDM in TRE writing in many styles there, give yourself time, research, critical think and the share here. I am human and thus stand to be corrected sanely by anyone else!
Christian beliefs and teachings preach forgiveness if sinners show genuine repentence, and turn over a new leaf.
As a Catholic Christian, abhor Christian politicians going against their Christian teachings to close one eye and go along with his own Political Party to approve Capital Punishment of criminals, whether drug mules or murderers.
Also abhor hypocritical Christian politicians to approve the Casino Bill to bring the two disguised IRs into Singapore. Approving the casinos is another way of approving the death penalty, in the form of suicides by desperate gamblers, saddled with debts.
Both criminals and these half past six Christians are sinners in the eyes of God.
Sama sama, half kati, 8 tahils.
All 4 Presidential candidates dare not touch on this Clemency Topic, evasive as ever.
Ms Han would be disappointed. After the Elections, hangings of those mules would begin, one by one.
God has mercy, Christ has mercy. Amen.
TO: Disgusting! 26 August 2011,
WHAt IS YOUR AGENDA? IS it insane to at times sidetrack to support a main topic in discussions for seconding or enlightening MORALS MORLAES & EHTICS??? Now that you have read my preceding response to CYNICAL SS, I back-track to you. THIS IS DELIBERATE as I KNOW where you come from The HYPPOCRITE camp or not?
BECAUSE YOU wrote hypocritically as follows…
QUOTING @”Disgusting!” IMMORAL comments:-
Suddenly, the PE got hijack to raise death penalty and LGBTs’ rights as national issues?
But I think the only person probably will yield to all these opportunistic activists is Tan Jee Say…he’s definitely desperate enough to make pacts with these activist groups in order to gain their votes (though he’ll fail miserably because such support exactly spell his doomed attempts, as he has gone against the majority will)!
The general public is now fully aware that TJS had harboured such issues as part of his hidden agenda (besides using the presidential platform to advance SDP fight), and he will be duly punished by the voters in this PE!
UNQUOTING
I am for change. But this CHANGE I am not agreeable. Death sentence should be imposed for Drugs. Many thousands of families will be ruined (worse than gambling or having casinos). Many have been ruined. I know of a Childhood friend ‘Ah Boy’ who is from a Progressive family. He was a hardcore drug addict.Many attempts to correct him ended in failure. He was brought to Korea and China for treatment. In the end he Aids and committed suicide in the Prisons. Being the pet boy of the family many of his relations are not able to recover from this sad episode. I SHALL OPPOSE ALL SECOND CHANCES ATTEMPTS.
Criminals are non-belivers. They repent truthfully and that it their 2nd chance before death. In-btw, there many many religious teaching to do you good before you committed a serious offend. No laws can stop you from gamblings but religious can.
The other question is how many will repent if there is NO death penalty in the first place?
I support death penalty but will NOT let it affect my vote. There is no ideal candidate whose values 100% matches your own, unless you decide to put yourself up as a candidate.
Just go for the one who most matches your values, and not let one single value/issue influence your vote.
To Rockabyebaby
If you have agenda against TJS go write to Shit Times or Madcorp. They will suck your comments.
THE SLANDER AGAINST TJS HAS STARTED
The reformed Ho Kwon Ping had written to Shit Times to change the Constitution to elect PE in a different way. Perhaps TT will recommend more tax breaks for HKP’s burgeoning monies.
We have another Tony from SBF threatening that his group of businessman will not invest if TT is not elected. Using a greedy businessman to threaten. DAMN Duffer.
Than we have the Hour Glass Old Hag who freaks out with young men saying that she thought of becoming a President.TGIF
BTW an innocent writer Ms Ng to Shit Times commented that TJS life shows that PAP policies worked well. YES WORKED WELL THEN BUT NOT NOW. NOW THE ELITIST PAP IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM STALWARTS LIKE GOH KENG SWEE, HON SUI SEN, TOH CHIN CHYE AND NUMEROUS OTHERS WHO HAVE EVAPORATED WITHOUT CLAIMING LITTLE ATTENTION.
ALL YOU PA+Pigs WILL BE EXPOSED IN DUE COURSE. WAIT FOR 2016
HAVE MERCY!
Synonyms: mercy, leniency, lenity, clemency, charity
These nouns mean humane and kind, sympathetic, or forgiving treatment of or disposition toward others. Mercy is compassionate forbearance: “We hand folks over to God’s mercy, and show none ourselves” (George Eliot).
Leniency and lenity imply mildness, gentleness, and often a tendency to reduce punishment: “When you have gone too far to recede, do not sue [appeal] to me for leniency” (Charles Dickens). “His Majesty gave many marks of his great lenity, often . . . endeavoring to extenuate your crimes” (Jonathan Swift).
Clemency is mercy shown by someone with judicial authority: The judge believed in clemency for youthful offenders.
Charity is goodwill and benevolence in judging others: “But how shall we expect charity towards others, when we are uncharitable to ourselves?” (Thomas Browne).
The granting of clemency is a humane act towards your fellowmen who had erred on the side of the law.
Many countries have done away with the death penalty. 95 countries or 49% of UN member countries have abolished capital punishment.
Capital punishment has been used in almost every part of the globe, but in the last few decades many countries have abolished it. Usage of capital punishment is usually broken into the four categories set out below. Of the 194 independent states that are UN members (or have UN observer status):
• 42 (22%) maintain the death penalty in both law and practice.
• 95 (49%) have abolished it.
• 8 (4%) retain it for crimes committed in exceptional circumstances (such as in time of war).
• 49 (25%) permit its use for ordinary crimes, but have not used it for at least 10 years and are believed to have a policy or established practice of not carrying out executions, or it is under a moratorium.
The information above is accurate as of 14 Feb 2011 when Gabon announced the abolition of capital punishment.[1]
It is traditional that when a new king is installed, the releasing of white doves and granting of clemency follows after his coronation to ensure a safe and peaceful rule during his reign.
Perhaps, this is the first act for our new president to seek pardon for the four facing the death penalty.
It will show to the world that Singapore is a humane and caring society that believes human lives are precious.
Face it, TCB will be the WINNER.
TODAY.. saturday 27/8..
MAKE THIS THE VERY FIRST DAY OF YOUR LIFE.
WEAR PAP WHITE ….AND GO TO THE POLLING STATION.
DO NOT VOTE FOR TONY TAN.
Singapore’s punishment metted out by our judicial system is already one of the harshest in the civilised world. Why do we still need death sentences to deter criminals then? But I digress. I do agree that our judicial system and our Presidents has to look at the cases before them not just at the fact but also with a holistic view of the cirumstances surrounding each death penalty inmate. Why do they require death penalty for? If the purpose is to deter further acts of criminalisation, then the effect has been very successful and effective without the need to actually carry out the sentence. I would hope our future President to be elected can be a truly caring, compassionate man and not a Yes man.
you are missing the main point.
If clemency is provided this time (Law Minister proposed, Cabinet endorses, PM approves and finally sent to President for final annoucement)
if Clemency is provided this time, all other cases in the future will require Clemency….its not about 2nd Chances and Vui Kong.
It will set a Precedent, which in Common Law will be difficult to set and once set, will require special circumstances to except.
Further, if you provide Clemency once, you need to provide it again and again and again….effectively, there is NO Death Penalty in Singapore
IF there is no Death Penalty in Singapore….this is a another set of issues altogether.
My point is simple – it is NOT about 2nd Chances and NOT about Vui Kong.
If you have voted TT..then may the gods have mercy on you., If you have voted any Tan.. then you have done the right thing.
@坡仔哥哥…very thoughtful and balanced comments + well said!
I am an ordinary Singaporean with young kids and I think the death penalty should stay to deter such crimes and to protect our kids. people like those you mentioned above would destroy families and young people. Did they think of that during the act of committing crime? Did they care about others if they had not being caught? Even smuggling gold bar is a crime. If he has no bad intent he would not have done so in the first place. and it is a known fact that Singapore has death sentence so why did they do it? Why not do a poll? I think most Singaporean still prefer this law stays.