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“I want my son’s name back”
“I want my son’s name back,” Mr Mourthi Vasu said. “And I want my son back. Can they give me my son? Can they give me? Cannot.”
Mr Mourthi is asking for an apology from the Singapore government for the execution of his then 23-year old son, Vignes Mourthi. Vignes was hanged in Singapore in September 2003 after having been found guilty of trafficking in 27.65g of heroin. Vignes had always maintained his innocence till the day he died.
Mr Mourthi’s demand for an apology comes after he learned of the circumstances which led to the conviction of his son involving police officer Sergeant Rajkumar.
Rajkumar, who was the officer in charge of the sting operation which led to the arrest of Vignes outside the An Nur Mosque in Woodlands, was also the key prosecution witness during the trial proceedings.
What angers Mr Mourthi and his family is that Rajkumar, while giving testimony during the trial as the prosecution’s key witness, was himself also being investigated for rape, sodomy and bribery by the authorities. Neither Vignes’s lawyer nor his family knew about this at that time. Rajkumar’s testimony against Vignes was believed to have largely contributed to the conviction of Vignes.
After Vignes’s execution, Rajkumar was found guilty of bribery in a later trial and was sentenced to 15 months in jail.
Giving support to Mr Mourthi on Tuesday were members of Lawyers For Liberty (LFL), a human rights and law reform initiative in Malaysia and members of the Civil Rights Committee of Kuala Lumpur and the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. Mr N Surendran, a lawyer with LFL, presented a memorandum of protest to a representative of the Singapore High Commission.
“We now know the key witness in Vignes’s trial was himself being investigated for rape, sodomy and later convicted of corruption,” Mr Surendran said.
LFL’s memorandum also highlighted the reported remarks made by then-Chief Justice Yong Pung How in the appeal hearings. “When asked by lawyer M Ravi whether the innocent Vignes can be hanged due to merely procedural matters,” the LFL’s memorandum says, “the Chief Justice replied, ‘Yes, the answer is yes.’”
“Here you have an appalling instance of a miscarriage of justice,” Mr Surendran told the media. “Vignes Mourthi was innocent,” he added.
In its memorandum of protest, LFL calls for the Singapore government to “[acknowledge] the enormous miscarriage of justice that happened in Vignes’ case” and demand the Singapore government “make amends” to Vignes’s family. The lawyers call for “immediate reforms in the Singapore judiciary to ensure Singaporean judges appreciate and respect human life and freedom; take appropriate action according to the Constitution against Chief Justice Yong Pung How; halt all pending executions in Singapore and commute death sentences to imprisonment” and to “cease immediately the malicious persecution of British author Alan Shadrake.”
Mr Shadrake is the author of Once A Jolly Hangman, a book about the death penalty in Singapore. The book includes a chapter on the case of Vignes Mourthi. Mr Shadrake was arrested in July and has been charged with contempt of court. His hearing will take place on the 30th of August.
In the meantime, Mr Mourthi says he will appoint a lawyer to seek redress for his son.
“I know he is innocent,” Mr Mourthi said of his son. “I want to know what the Singapore government is going to do about this. I hope the truth will finally come out.”
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Read also: Activists cry murder over Singapore hanging (Free Malaysia Today)
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TOC’s video report of Tuesday’s events at the Singapore High Commission;
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The Memorandum of Protest delivered to the Singapore High Commission:
MEMORANDUM OF PROTEST
Wrongful execution of M’sian Vignes Mourthi and malicious prosecution of Alan Shadrake
Vignes Mourthi
1. On 26 September 2003, Vignes Mourthi was hanged in Changi prison for alleged drug trafficking.
2. The key testimony on which he was convicted was the evidence of one Sgt Rajkumar who arrested Vignes.
3. Alan Shadrake in his book ” The Jolly Hangman” reveals the shocking truth about the trial and conviction of Vignes. At the time Sgt Rajkumar gave the sworn testimony in court which convicted Vignes, Rajkumar was under investigation for rape, sodomy and bribery! Subsequently he was convicted of corruption and sent to prison for 15 months. Vignes was hanged by the neck until he died on the testimony of this man.
4. In a breathtakingly malcious act, Singapore police and authorities concealed this crucial fact from Vignes’ lawyer M.Ravi. Vignes went to the gallows bitterly denying to the end that he had ever trafficked in drugs. He was only 21 years old when arrested.
5. The callousness and indifference to human life by the Singapore government and judiciary is shown by the now notorious remarks of Chief Justice Yong Pung How. When asked by lawyer M.Ravi whether the innocent Vignes can be hanged due to merely procedural matters, the Chief Justice replied ” Yes, the answer is yes.”
Alan Shadrake
1. On 19 July 2010, a day after Alan launched his book in Singapore, police arrested him for Criminal Defamation and Contempt of Court.
2. Alan was interrogated by police 8 to 10 hours a day despite a weak heart, and now faces trials which may may send him to prison for years. He remains resolute and has said ” I will not be cowed.” His only crime is revealing the truth to the people of Singapore and the world.
We the undersigned demand that the Singapore government:
a. acknowledges the enormous miscarriage of justice that happened in Vignes’ case;
b. clears the sullied name of Vignes Mourthi and make amends to his suffering family;
c. institute immediate reforms in the Singapore judiciary to ensure Singaporean judges appreciate and respect human life and freedom;
d. take appropriate action according to the Constitution against Chief Justice Yong Pung How ;
e. halt all pending executions in Singapore and commute death sentences to imprisonment;
f. cease immediately the malicious persecution of British author Alan Shadrake.
LAWYERS FOR LIBERTY
Civil Rights Committee KUALA LUMPUR AND SELANGOR CHINESE ASSEMBLY HALL
![](https://theonlinecitizen.s3.ap-northeast-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/2023/03/26202010/TOC_newlogo_small.webp)
Indonesia
Miss Universe cuts ties with Indonesia chapter after harassment allegations
The Miss Universe Organization severs ties with Indonesia franchise due to harassment claims. Malaysia edition canceled.
Women allege body checks before pageant. Investigation launched. Safety prioritized.
Indonesia winner to compete in November finale. Height requirement controversy.
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — The Miss Universe Organization has cut ties with its Indonesia franchise, it announced days after allegations of sexual harassment, and will cancel an upcoming Malaysia edition.
In the complaint, more than a half dozen women said all 30 finalists for Miss Universe Indonesia were unexpectedly asked to strip for a supposed body check for scars and cellulite two days before the pageant’s crowning ceremony in Jakarta.
Their lawyer said Tuesday that five of the women had their pictures taken.
“In light of what we have learned took place at Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become clear that this franchise has not lived up to our brand standards, ethics, or expectations,” the US-based Miss Universe Organization posted Saturday night on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.
It said that it had “decided to terminate the relationship with its current franchise in Indonesia, PT Capella Swastika Karya, and its National Director, Poppy Capella.”
It thanked the contestants for their bravery in coming forward and added that “providing a safe place for women” was the organization’s priority.
Jakarta police spokesman Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said Tuesday that an investigation into the women’s complaint has been launched.
The Indonesia franchise also holds the license for Miss Universe Malaysia, where there will no longer be a competition this year, according to the New York-based parent organizer.
In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram, Indonesia franchise director Capella denied involvement in any body checks.
“I, as the National Director and as the owner of the Miss Universe Indonesia license, was not involved at all and have never known, ordered, requested or allowed anyone who played a role and participated in the process of organizing Miss Universe Indonesia 2023 to commit violence or sexual harassment through body checking,” she wrote.
She added that she is against “any form of violence or sexual harassment.”
The Jakarta competition was held from 29 July to 3 August to choose Indonesia’s representative to the 2023 Miss Universe contest, and was won by Fabienne Nicole Groeneveld.
Miss Universe said it would make arrangements for her to compete in the finale, scheduled for November in El Salvador.
This year’s Indonesia pageant also came under fire for announcing a “significant change in this (year’s) competition guidelines” with the elimination of its minimum height requirement after it had crowned a winner.
In its statement, the Miss Universe Organization said it wanted to “make it extremely clear that there are no measurements such as height, weight, or body dimensions required to join a Miss Universe pageant worldwide.”
— AFP
Malaysia
A Perodua service centre in Kuantan, Malaysia went viral for its strict dress code, Perodua responds
A dress code for vehicle servicing? A Malaysian car brand’s service centre dress code signage has puzzled netizens, raising queries about the need for attire rules during a routine service.
The manufacturer responded with an official statement after a flurry of comments, seeking to clarify and apologize.
MALAYSIA: A dress code signage positioned at a service centre belonging to a prominent Malaysian car brand has sparked bewilderment among Malaysian netizens, who question the necessity of adhering to attire guidelines for a simple vehicle servicing.
The signage explicitly delineates clothing items that are deemed unsuitable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, abbreviated pants, and distressed jeans.
The car manufacturer swiftly found itself flooded with comments from both inquisitive and irked Malaysian netizens. This surge in online activity prompted the company to issue an official statement aimed at clarifying the situation and extending an apology.
In a post that gained significant traction on the social media platform, politician Quek Tai Seong of Pahang State, Malaysia, shared an image to Facebook on Monday (7 Aug).
The image showcased a dress code sign prominently displayed at a Perodua Service Centre in Kuantan. Within the post, Quek posed the question: “Is this dress code applicable nationwide, or is it specific to this branch?”
The signage reads, “All customers dealing with Perodua Service Kuantan 1, Semambu, are requested to dress modestly and appropriately.”
Adding visual clarity to these guidelines, the sign features illustrative graphics that explicitly outline clothing items deemed unacceptable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, short pants, and ripped jeans.
Delineating the specifics of the dress code, the signage stipulates that male visitors are expected to don shirts accompanied by neckties, opt for long pants, and wear closed shoes.
Conversely, female visitors are advised to don long-sleeved shirts, full-length skirts, and closed-toe footwear.
Perodua’s dress code sparks online uproar
Following the rapid spread of the post, Perodua’s official Facebook page found itself inundated with comments from both intrigued and frustrated Malaysian netizens, all seeking clarifications about the newly surfaced dress code policy.
Amidst the flurry of comments, numerous incensed netizens posed pointed questions such as, “What is the rationale behind the introduction of such regulations by the management? We demand an explanation.”
Another netizen expressed their dissatisfaction, arguing against the necessity of the rule and urging Perodua to take inspiration from the practices of other 4S (Sales, Service, Spare Parts, and Survey) automotive dealerships.
A concerned Facebook user chimed in, advocating for a more lenient stance, asserting that attempting to dictate customers’ clothing choices might not be in the company’s best interest.
Someone also commented in an angry tone, “Oi what is this? Going there for car service, not interview or working, right.”
As the discourse unfolded, it became evident that while some inquiries carried genuine weight, others chose to inject humor into the situation, playfully remarking, “If I wanted to buy a Myvi, I should buy or rent a formal attire first.”
“I sell economy rice at a hawker centre, I have never worn a long sleeve shirt and a tie… I guess I will not buy a Perodua car then.”
“I guess they will not serve those who wear short pants.”
Perodua addresses dress code controversy
As reported by Chinese media outlet Sin Chew Daily News, the manager of Kuantan’s Perodua Service Centre had acknowledged that the images on the dress code signage were misleading.
In response, the manager divulged that discussions had transpired with the head office, leading to the prompt removal of the signage to prevent any further misconceptions.
The manager clarifies, “We do encourage visitors to adhere to the dress etiquette, but we won’t go to the extent of restricting their choice of attire.”
He also revealed that currently, no complaints have been directly received from the public.
However, feedback from certain customers was relayed through Perodua’s agents.
Perodua also released an official statement by chief operating officer JK Rozman Jaffar on Wednesday (9 Aug) regarding the dress code on their official Facebook page.
The statement stated the dress code etiquette is not aligned with their official guidelines and they are currently conducting an official investigation on the matter followed by corrective measures to avoid the same incident from happening.
Perodua also extends its apologies for any inconvenience caused.
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