The friends of Yong Vui Kong celebrated his 24th birthday at the Speakers’ Corner today. TOC wishes Vui Kong happy birthday as well and request Singapore’s Cabinet to consider granting him his one birthday wish – a second chance at life. The following is a poem by Howard Lee. Howard says that he sends a birthday wish of peace to Yong Vui Kong, “but this is written for the Singapore Cabinet, on which rests the future of this young man.”
The dawn of a new day clears the mist.
We go about our daily dues.
Do what you can, take a few good risks,
For tomorrow again, we try anew.
But for some, each day is barely done
For repenting, reflecting and making amends.
Inner peace matters when dusk comes,
If you know the day and hour it ends.
All have one life, yet some have more breaths.
What would you do, if there is no logic in death?
Life’s complex, we say, too many villains.
An assault on values is our greatest fear.
Too much at stake if we ponder variants.
A show of strength is not to waiver.
But what of the heart that beats true
To a cause or need we’ve never witnessed?
Vexed answers we seek from simple rules.
Our fixed mindset, to praise or curse?
When we are done judging by virtue of maths,
We might realise, alas, there is no logic in death.
Do our people want blood on their hands?
Is there order found at a noose end?
Are a hundred maybes worth the life of a man?
Do we even know what we defend?
The legals have decided the penalty to be.
That course has run, now is your turn.
The difference between a trial and clemency
Is the compassion you can give in return.
If we but recognise the role we play best,
Then we’ll see there is no logic in death.
Do we give thought to remorse and sadness,
While for happiness we strive?
Or are we caught up in the busy-ness
That rules the seconds of our lives?
Were there times you wished to be forgiven,
By God, by man, by those you offend?
Will you reach out and touch a face so foreign,
And realise you, too, have made amends?
If we all had to take the same last test,
Might we believe there is no logic in death?
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picture credit: Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss’ Facebook
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Laws and order said to be good
So is democracy and capitalism
Yes, they do solve some problems
That make the intellect look good
With claim of talent and success
Seem like taking shortcut is good
Do they solve man’s real problems
Or do they create moral problems
The real tests lies in choice.
Do we tell lies for truths
Because truths are good for all
Or truth is good but not for self
Laws and order cling the deal
Because one can manipulate them
To make the black look white
Vui Kong the heart awaiting our choice
both malaysia and S’pore have capital punishment for drug trafficking cases.
Thanks Ravi for taking care of the disadvantaged.
My heart is warmed knowing that there are people like M Ravi who never ceases to care and protect the weak and underprivileged.
May the Heavens open up to bless and protect you.
Let us start with a year with compassion and feeling.Please give Vui Kong a chance by sparing his life.Punish him in other way and not to take away his life away.
I am impress by Ravi for his effort and commitment.
I appeal to all the compassionate and the conscientious law makers of Singapore, enough of your silence and do your part o abolish the death penalty for once and all.
Send the offenders for their entire lives behind bars but not to the gallows.
Help Singapore from being branded as a heartless, barbaric country in the eyes of the world.
Death penaly should be reserved only for people who commit heinious crimes and drug smuggling does not fall into that category. Considering that he is juvenile and not an adult further consideration should be given.
Shame on the prosecution for not showing leniancy. Law must be observed in spirit and not just in letters.
Give him second chance.
maybe more accurate to word “no logic in (his) death”.
as drug mules are not the druglords behind the drug trade, how much will the death of drug mules slow the trade is very questionable. there will always be the poor, less educated & vulnerable who take risks to make ends meet. & the druglords know how to get these people to do their bidding.
if trafficking drugs deserve death penalty, are then drug abusers getting away too lightly? or is it because only those who can afford drugs are well connected?
It seems like TOC is more “moderate”d than those of MLM. A dissenting voice towards their articles are seemingly moderted out. Good job in doing so, and I would likely being taking your articles and comments with bigger grain of salt in future.
Indeed. As I write this article, 2 posts are still being moderated (10 Responses but only 8 are shown). If you look at the face page, and compare with the posts here, you can see they ‘slant’ differently.
I am getting ‘lazy’ to post here…
OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT TONY TAN KENG YAN:
My dear President Tony TAN,
Well, this is a golden opportunity for YOU to prove that you are a very much difference from the ex-President. Show us (Singaporeans, especially the 35.2% who had voted you in) that you are a passionate and a people’s President , and please pardon this poor kid and give him a 2nd chance in life.
I am not here to support drug traffickers but I believe kids of his age ( 18 or 19 yo, when he committed the crime ) and a juvenile tend to make mistakes and repent.
We are young before, we made mistakes and we know…..