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10/11/2009
URGENT -- Yong Vui Kong's appeal
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Friends,
We have learned that Yong Vui Kong's final appeal to Singapore's President is expected to be heard with the coming week. It is, therefore, urgent that our appeals to him are sent before that decision is made. I am urging those who have not yet written to send their appeals immediately. See Urgent Action below.
In June of this year, Vui Kong's brother wrote a letter of apology and a plea for clemency to President Nathan. We now have permission to share with you translated excerpts of that letter:
“I hereby tender my sincere apology to all the people of Singapore regarding my brother’s wrongdoing. I sincerely hope that all of you will give him a chance to live by pardoning him of his death sentence and commute it into a life sentence so that, as a first offender, he could have an opportunity to turn over a new leaf. He is a remorseful youth now….
10-year old Vui Kong was unable to continue with his education…. Initially he became a kitchen help and he fell into bad company. Vui Kong was used by the so-called “Big Brother” to be a runner to collect bad debts…. Vui Kong himself did not consume drugs, but from collecting bad debts, he was slowly tasked to delivering gifts. The young Vui Kong obeyed the instructions of “Big Brother” who said that delivering a little bit of drugs would not lead to death. Vui Kong fell into the trap of the drug trafficking syndicate.
His mother who suffers from depression does not know anything of his arrest…. My family and I conceal the truth from her as we are worried that she would not be able to take such a blow.
Although the chances of escaping death are very slim, I hope that all of you would give him a new lease of life and hope that Vui Kong would have an opportunity to live again and under the yellow ribbon scheme, he would be able to learn a skill in prison and make some contributions to society in the future.“
With my best wishes,
Margaret John
Coordinator for Singapore and Malaysia
Amnesty International Canada
URGENT ACTION
UA 296/09
AI Index: ASA 36/004/2009 of 3 November 2009
SINGAPORE: MALAYSIAN MAN FACING EXECUTION
Yong Vui Kong was sentenced to death for drug trafficking in January 2009. He had exhausted his appeals by October, and can now escape execution only if the president grants clemency.
Yong Vui Kong was arrested in June 2007, when he was 19, by officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau. He was charged with trafficking 42.27 grams of heroin, and then sentenced to death in January 2009.
He had been working as a messenger for a man in Malaysia who often asked him to collect money from debtors or deliver packages as "gifts" to people in Singapore and Malaysia. At his trial, Yong Vui Kong said he had not known what was in the packages, and when he asked, he had simply been told not to open them. The judge, however, ruled that Yong must have been aware of their contents, saying in his written summation, "I found that the accused had failed to rebut the presumption against him. I am of the v iew that the prosecution had proved its case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt, and I therefore found the accused guilty as charged and sentenced him to suffer death."
Yong was convicted under the Misuse of Drugs Act, which provides that anyone found guilty of illegally importing, exporting or trafficking more than 15 grams of heroin will automatically receive a mandatory death sentence.
Governments need to address crimes, including drug trafficking, but there is no clear evidence that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than other forms of punishment. The UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions stated in his 2005 report that the "mandatory death penalty, which precludes the possibility of a lesser sentence being imposed regardless of the circumstances, is inconsistent with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. " To date, 139 countries have abolished death penalty in law or practice.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The authorities in Singapore do not release any information about the use of the death penalty in the country. At least one person is known to have been hanged so far in 2009, and at least three sentenced to death; in 2008, at least one person was hanged and five sentenced to death. The true figures are likely to be higher. The government has always maintained that the death penalty is not a human rights issue, and consistently lobbied other nations against the abolition of the death penalty.
All capital cases are tried by the High Court. Convicted prisoners can appeal, and if they are unsuccessful they can apply to the president for clemency. President Nathan, who has been in power since 1999, is not known to have granted clemency to any condemned prisoner.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in English, Mandarin or your own language:
* urging the president to grant clemency to Yong Vui Kong and commute his death sentence;
* expressing concern that because the death penalty is mandatory for drug-trafficking cases, the court had no discretion to sentence Yong Vui Kong to an alternative punishment;
* calling on the president to introduce a moratorium on executions, with a view to complete abolition of the death penalty.
DIRECT YOUR APPEALS TO:
His Excellency SR Nathan
Office of the President
Istana, Orchard Road
Singapore 0922
Fax: 011 65 6735 3135
Email: s_r_nathan@istana.gov.sg
Salutation: Your Excellency
AND COPIES TO:
His Excellency Yong Guan Koh
High Commissioner for Singapore
c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tanglin
Singapore 248163
Fax: 011 65 6474-7885
E-mail: yong_guan_koh@cpf.gov.sg
Editor-in-Chief
The Straits Times
1000 Toa Payoh North
News Centre
Singapore 318994
Fax: 011 65 6319 8282
Email: stonline@sph.com.sg
Urgent Action Office Amnesty International Canada
1992 Yonge St, 3rd floor Toronto, Ontario M4S 1Z7
(416) 363 9933 ext 325 / Fax (416) 363 3103 / www.amnesty.ca/urgentaction
09:13 Posted by soci | Permalink | Comments (29) | Trackbacks (0) | Email this | Tags: death penalty, singapore, yong vui kong
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Comments
One less scumbag!!!! good for us
Posted by: Drug Kill | 03/12/2009
Hey 'Drug Kill', the guy didn't hurt you. So how will his death be 'good for us'? It just doesn't follow. non sequitur
Posted by: Matilah_Singapura | 03/12/2009
Spare 1 drug trafficker means killing more innocent!! No mercy!!
Posted by: Drug Kill 2 | 03/12/2009
To err is human, to forgive is divine. But this proverb applies to pure negligence; like officers tending to Mas Selamat & nurses overdose injection in KK. Not applicable to deliberate negligence. Fair trial is a must.
Posted by: Philip | 03/12/2009
u call him a scumbag??.. do u know the person personally? if not please dun say that he is a scumbag,, he might be good at nature but just that the peers he mix with are the wrong kinds.. i serioulsy believe that he should be given a 2nd chance to live life to the fullest.. after all he is still a juvenile when the crime was committed.. though on certain extend i do understand that the death sentence was imposed to let ppl noe that drug trafficking is a serious offend in SG and to remind them not to commit such crimes.. but Vui Kong is still young and he might have been mislead on the wrong path... what is the yellow ribbon project for?? to give offenders a 2nd chance right?? who noes maybe Vui Kong is already very remorseful over his wrong-doings and he seriously wants to change over a new leaf?? and now because of 1 mistake, he is deprived of his life.. and please tke note of this.. he is living in malaysia and not in Sg. the living culture is so different.. i like to stay in SG as it is always safe due to the law.. but i also do hope that our law has its lenient side and allow youths a 2nd chance to repent
Posted by: kai | 03/12/2009
For those who think Vui Kong deserves to die because he has wilfully committed a serious offence that brought with it a death penatly, you may be saying these because you have not experienced social hardships of any form.
Please scan through all the available write-ups of the boy's background before putting across such a cruel judgement.
Was he given a fair chance to choose a life and a future worthy of living, like majority of us do in Singapore? What would have become of you (those who are feeling proud and righteous about the death penalty) if you were born into poverty, residing with a defenseless single-parent mother with many siblings crammed under one roof? Where and what kind of a dignity is offered to these people? We Singaporeans get upset over petty issues, flood the news forums with trivial grievances of everyday living, and complain about the lack of community resources to assist needy folks, what should and can the poor and helpless villagers in some rural parts of an Islamic country do when they could barely see the difference between themselves and the stray animals.
Count your blessings that you are in Singapore. YOU DO NOT HAVE A MORAL RIGHT to say that these people deserve it!
Posted by: Deon | 03/12/2009
I just hope this boy can be given a 2nd chance. Everybody make mistakes in life,he made a grave one but laws are put in to deter and prevent,many of us don't feel the pain cause he aint our family or friends but still he is someone brother and a mother's boy. I wondered if he is our kin,would we have forgiven him or will we have insisted he be sentenced to death?
Its easy to pass judgement cause we dont know him but i say,let him have a chance in life. As long as he is repentent. We live in a gracious society,lets be graceful to fellow human beings,everyone regardless of his race or nationality deserve a right to live. Just coz of a grave mistake we are to deny him a chance in living his life?
God help this boy
Posted by: ngbillee | 03/12/2009
FOr those who want to see him death.
I hope one day you will frame for the same thing AND I WILL LIKE TO SEE HOW YOU BEG FOR YOUR 2nd CHANCE. HE is also somebody child. I think you are some guy experienced hardships I GUESS
Posted by: M | 03/12/2009
Hi,
Although the death penalty may seem harsh to some,it is absolutely necessary to maintain the good order of the country that we live in.
We should not allow emotions to run when we voice our feelings. Sure, I wonder what it may feel like if he is my brother. I will be desperate and hoping for pardon on his behalf.
However,if every single case is as such,where are the checks and balances?There can simply be no precedent,hence the President has to be very careful when giving clemency.It is not simply a case of an offence committed, and thereafter hoping for forgiveness from the state.
He committed this offence when he was 19. That, in my view, is an age when a teen is about to enter adulthood. Sure, he may be young, but how many young boys who grew up the same way he did actually committed the same offence? He started with the wrong peers at a very tender age of 10. 9 years later, and he is still not able to direct himself into the right path of mixing with the right peers. Sure, he is young, but he cannot simply put his background as a reason as to why he is what he is today. Many teens today whom i personally know in Singapore and Malaysia, who are poor, but is determined to change their lives for the better. It is these people who needs our attention and proper direction to lead their lives.
Don't get me wrong.I did not live his life, but i have worked with troubled people like him who gets into sticky situations in their life for the past 8 years of my life. During these 8 years, i have seen why people commit offence,who are those who makes the effort to turn over a new leaf,and those who,despite being given numerous chances, are still hanging over their pasts and commits the same offence again. They blame their surroundings,they blame their peers,they blame their social status,they blame their wealth. But a similarity in all these cases is that offenders never seem to blame their own self for their wrong doings. It is always a case of "if only" which applies, but never "why did i".Hence when these people are released into society,they reoffend once more as all these factors have not changed at all.
I dare say that even if his death sentence is commuted to a life imprisonment,there is defintely no guarantee that he is able to change without the proper guidance. I have seen and i know the conditions in prison, the community he will mix with, and it is not a simple case of finding the right mix when you are in there. You mix with the rest of offenders, some hardcores even, who will constantly tell you the wrong from the right. It is true, and this is reality. I dare say, because i know for that fact of the matter.
As much as it is necessary to pardon someone for a mistake done, we have to counterbalance that with the necessary actions to be taken should the need arises. That is why different types of punishment are meted out to different categories of offences.
Offenders have become smarter too now. They know how to continue committing an offence without implicating themselves into doing serious time. Hence background checks are also important should be considered when meting out punishment.
The law is fair,and its arms will always get around those who commits offences.
Posted by: Sam | 03/12/2009
Let's give him a 2nd chance to turn over a leaf. Respect Human Rights!!
Posted by: paul | 03/12/2009
Only murderers deserve the death penalty. This young man grew up with hardships all around him and he was very young at the time when the 'crime' was committed. I feel sorry for him and his family and sincerely hope that he will be pardoned and given the opportunity to reform. Furthermore, he had mentioned that he was not aware of the contents in the packages and I feel he should be given the benefit of the doubt. If he was indeed telling the truth, it would be very sinful and totally unfair and wrong to execute him. But if he lied about this through fear, he should be given an opportunity to turn over a new leaf in prison. I am confident that he will not repeat his crime (that is, if he had really known the contents of the packages) after all that he is going through right now.
Posted by: Christina K | 03/12/2009
Perhaps voicing out for human rights can apply better in instances where people are ill-treated in an inhumane way,sufferers of poverty, hunger and diseases, and also those who needs them more. Standing up for human rights would be so much more meaningful than if we were to cheer and rally on offenders of the state. This is two seperate issues which we have to distinguish well before we know where we stand.
Sure,every life is precious but if someone commits a serious crime,then he has to pay for it. There can simply be no precendent.
Posted by: Sam | 03/12/2009
i think death penalty is harsh for a 19 year old than. also wat right do we have to pin point who and who is to die... i hope he gets a 2nd chance really....there are definitely other alternatives...
Posted by: goodsoul | 03/12/2009
Yoz.
Everyone, please value life. How old is he again when he committed the crime, first time, not knowing what's going on? I believe if death penalty needs to exist, it's only for condemned murderers.
Give you a scenario. A person, deprived of proper education, had a 'big brother' to take care of him. All he need to do is to follow instructions, as long as it doesn't involved killing people. Being uneducated and ignorant about worldly matters, he doesn't know much about law, as long as he doesn't hurt others. One day, this blur sotong was given a package to be delivered across the border by his 'big brother'. 'Big brother' told him this is urgent and do not open the package at any circumstances. So, blur cock just accepted the mission, thinking that it's just another errand to do. At the border, he was caught by the authorities, and he was like, 'Huh? What? What did I do wrong? I followed 'Big Brother's instruction what. I didn't open it. And I haven't late!' Then, he was given death sentence, because the authorities open the package and found heroin! And he was like, 'What is that?'.
Who's fault was it? Himself being blur cock? Lack of education for many unknown reasons? Authorities not listening? Or Big Brother's BIG idea?
I'm a Singaporean and I'm very concerned about the penal system giving death penalty to such petty offenses... How will Heroin kill somebody directly and immediately? I don't see death sentences being handed out to lethal drugs manufacturer, or bomb makers, road killers, weapon designers, etc? Want to curb drug trafficking, source out the root of the problem, not killing the branches and leaf! Terrorists who refuse rehabilitation, I got no objection on death sentence. Racists and ignorant fools who don't value life, as much as I hate them, I will not want to see them hanged.
To my Malaysian pals. Staying in Singapore may seems safer, because no one will rob or rape you on the highway, but do you want to be killed slowly and painfully by stressing about the rising living cost and many other nonsense? Even myself can't stand a fraction of inconsiderate people here. Education system is power! 'No Horse Run'. But what's an intelligent person without much moral and ethical values worth? Haiz... Sad hor?
Anyway, I hope Mr President can pardon the blur cock from the death roll and put that sotong on rehabilitation and education. You want to make an example to show how strict is Singapore Law, bring down that 'Big Brother' instead! If the syndicate is still around, more juvenile will be on the death roll for being runners. Break the branches and leaves, the 'ROOT' will grow more! Solve the problem at 'ROOT', and the whole tree can be saved. Who still don't understand? Stupid Mo.Fos...
Posted by: Shingo Yabuki | 03/12/2009
I hope & beg Mr President wil gv him a 2nd chance..plsssssss...
Posted by: Ms Y | 03/12/2009
Dear Mr.President Nathan:
Please have mercy on the young man's life. You have live a long and fruitful life in which GOD has given you grace and in GOD's name please have compassion and return that grace.
The young man has committed an offence..granted.. BUT is it so grave as to TAKE his life? Who has given us the right to take a man's life?
Clearly the laws on hanging a drug trafficker beyond 15 grams in Singapore is ridiculous. Its outdated and barberic and not in tune with international standards.
There is definitely NO justification other than arbitrary setting a number of grams to hang somebody. WHY not 1 gram, why not 100 gram ..where the number 15 grams came from?
What if its 16 grams?..The verdict is still we take his life ..we go according to law?..can the extra 1 gram hurt the society which the law is trying to deter drug trafficker?
Cant we have a scale whereby ...each additional 10 grams would add more years in prison rather than take the person's life.
At such a tender age its inconceivable alot of youth would err no doubt not to the extend to 'traffic' drugs. But honestly ..do you know how much is 47grams of heroine? How much damage could he have cause society to warrant DEATH.
Posted by: SEAN | 03/12/2009
Continue Part 2.
for the inconsiderate fool who wrote .One less scumbag!!!! good for us and the other total idiot..Spare 1 drug trafficker means killing more innocent!! No mercy!!..it shows the level of intelligence or should I say ..the lack of it.
Lets stand together and plead for this young man's life. Its not just that he is young BUT the fact that its is ridiculous to take a man's life other than he is a murderer.
Posted by: SEAN | 03/12/2009
Dear Mr President Nathan,
Please give the young man a chance,yes he has committed an offence, he just 19 years old boy, give him 2nd chance to live on.....
Posted by: Doris | 03/12/2009
Continue Part 2.
for the inconsiderate fool who wrote .One less scumbag!!!! good for us and the other total idiot..Spare 1 drug trafficker means killing more innocent!! No mercy!!..it shows the level of intelligence or should I say ..the lack of it.
Lets stand together and plead for this young man's life. Its not just that he is young BUT the fact that its is ridiculous to take a man's life other than he is a murderer.
Posted by: SEAN | 03/12/2009
Yes.... Singapore is very 'advance' ...Yes ...very educated ....BUT I beg to differ.
Laws that are not right NEEDS to be CHANGE. If we are educated enough to see the wrong in the law we put forth ...then we must be smart enough to change it.
Over history there are scores of law that are implemented but later change due to its irrelevance or out dated, death sentence MUST be debated but not in the hands of the privilege legal profession as it affects the whole public.
Posted by: SEAN | 03/12/2009
What goes around comes around. History has proven this repeatedly. If mercy is shown, so mercy will be shown to you when you needed it. I urge the courts of Singapore who is in the position to make this decision to think very carefully. What if this is your own son? Kill him to prove to the world and satisfy your ego? Let's hear what the president have to say.
Posted by: The Historian | 04/12/2009
Dear His Excellency President SR Nathan, Father of Singapore.
Pls spare the life of your child. No doubt he's not a Singaporean,
but his a child.
We Singaporeans practice love, passion and so on, especially FORGIVING.
We have the heart of SINGA(Lion). Generous.
As the President of Singapore, Pls PLs Pls... Give us your mercy.
Pls pardon the boy. This is not a 2nd chance. Its the 1st chance.
AMEN
Posted by: Ravi Chandran | 04/12/2009
Should give him a chance because he is only a young boy .The death sentenced should use on those so call big boss.
Posted by: Kent Foo | 04/12/2009
God's in everyone's. What you did is what you get. No one can judge, no one else could. LEGAL WAY of killing people is still killing. No one has the RIGHT! Hope the Judge & the Executioners and ANYONE INVOLVED & agreeable people do more good Deeds to redeem themselves....
So lousy... So Inhumane... So EVIL...
Posted by: God in everyone's | 04/12/2009
His Excellency President SR Nathan,
How difficult can it be for you to save this young man life? Just a litte kindness from you will be sufficient to save him.
Posted by: johnny | 04/12/2009
Have a heart for this young lad, GOD bless U.
Posted by: Moon | 04/12/2009
so much so to the value of life, the clemency would translate to more syndicates citing this instance to their young pushers. how then, would we be able to put a stop to this? sometimes, a tough and ruthless stance is needed, read up some game theory perhaps=)
Posted by: knight.bla | 04/12/2009
Knight, Dont worry about more syndicates siting this instance. Who in their right mind want to stay in jail for the rest of their life.
Dear President SR Nathan, DPP Jaswant Singh and all Judges involved, No offence, I presumed you guys have led a very meaningful life and have contribute alot to this society.
What we have here is a boy whose father left when he was 3 and at 10 quited school to work to support the family. He doesn't led a very good life and was even bullied at his place of work in K.L. Cut it short, Along the way he screwed up his life by going sideway. He is a victim of a very sad circumstances.
I am very pround of the Judge who called DPP Singh and Ravi to his chamber and ask DPP if he could consider a lower charge because of his age. DPP Singh refuses.
He is still a minor at 19 and I presumed with his low education and difficult circumstances he will be so easily manipulated by the syndicates.
I wouldn't have pleaded for him if he committed the offence at a higher age or have commited many other serious offences prior to his arrest. He deserve to have another chance for a shot in life. Sending him to the gallow will also affect his mother and family.
Sent to jail at 19 and gallow at 21. Very sad.
Posted by: chen | 04/12/2009
At 19yrs old! Is a punishment too great for a poor helpless boy, and no chance to turn over too . Let pray to God and wish for the best.
The main culprit need to be sorted out, or more young people will be fallen prey to them for a mere benefits.
Posted by: clement | 04/12/2009