Court dismisses Yong Vui Kong's appeal

I've been posting comments since yesterday and getting arguments and my head banged.
Firstly, he did this when he was young.
He was being used.
Come to think of it, he might not be able to think how we think MAYBE we're more educated than him.
That's where the Drug Lords make use of him.
Maybe he doesn't know to read the fine prints on our immigration form.
If he's educated like us, and still proceed to attempt this kind of crime.. he deserve the punishment.
I gathered all the news about Yong and yes.. he started this when he was young and coming from a village.. I believe his educational standard do not meet ours.
Then again.. from me being to be a strong believer of Singapore Law; stood by Singapore's Law of hanging him... Today, I declare that from my own personal view.. he SHOULD BE GIVEN A 2ND CHANCE.
Due to his low educational standard compared to all of us here, he MIGHT not know the difference between RIGHTS & WRONGS.
Bad people always make use of naive, low educational people..

GIVE the GUY A 2ND CHANCE.. may this be a lesson to him.

I know I'll get banged again, but take a look at the whole scenario.. do not just read this news.. read all the other news about him and you will understand where I'm coming from.

Yong.. if you do escape the gallows by the help of our President, please learn from this and I hope you can help the LAW and stop all the Drug Lords in your country.

Peace..

Drugs will cause a lot of harms to society as it is addictive, lucrative and are mainly run by extremely dangerous elements such as drug barons, terrorists to raise funds either to enrich themselves or used to finance terrorism. These dangerous elements will be armed with dangerous weapons such as firearms or even small army to protect the lucrative trade.

These dangerous elements will not hesitate to carry out assassination or engage in firefights with the police or army if their trade once entrenched and subsequently become threatened. Very good examples are Mexican, Colombia drug barons who will not hesitate to used their armouries to protect their trade. Thus, a weak link must not be created by our Unwise Compassion – that will bring about a disastrous outcome in the future.

Drug abuse will destroy the future of our youth, their families and result in substantial social costs and finances to the society.

Thus death penalty must be a rotan to provide effective deterrent to prevent this dangerous beach-head rearing its head in Singapore being a World Transhipment Hub.

Compassion must not be exploited as weaknesses as it must be anchor on Wisdom to protect the larger community as a whole.

Probably, the only concession to tamper the Mind with Compassion maybe to change the word “Mandatory Death Penalty” to “Maximum Sentence is Death Penalty”.

"The lawyer also said that he will file a complaint to the Human Rights Council next week and will be making a request for the Malaysian government to intervene and apply for the stay of execution for Vui Kong through the International Court of Justice (ICJ)."

Is this a joke? malaysia also have the death penalty for frug trafficking, if the msia gov intervenes, aren't they contradicting themselves? what is so special about him that this case is getting so much attention? then why not appeal to let off the singaporean mother that is facing the death penalty in msia at the same time, she still have young kids to look after you know.

On Ross latest reply,

I respect your adequate research and comment. One has to really go into details before judging, or even condemning whatever issues or cases cropped up for conclusion or evaluation, or resolution. It's really annoying to see some comments, after reading them, makes you wonder or instantly feels, either this particular commenter is making use of his/her assumptions, within his/her knowledge, believing info was sufficient enough to post a comment, but in fact, it was only a waste of time reading, which may even pollute readers' mind.

i agree with the Singapore Law set to protect us again drugs. those ppl using drugs don't know how to control the amount to take and end their life with drugs. that is why we need to stop the supply coming into Singapore. puishment must be heavy to those brining drugs. we are free from drugs for many many generation if the puishment remain heavy.

When the goverment seize drugs, I wonder what they do with it?

no matter which country you're from, myself a Singapore PR and from M'sia and have travelled to many countries east and west, north and south; A law is to protect its sovereignty and the people (locals or foreigners) who live there. An example happened in the west, a 15+ year boy shots and kills his parents and elder siblings in cold blooded manner just because they refuse to entertain his frequent drug consumptions. Will anyone prefer this to happen in your own place? Or prevention & deterrent is the best antidotes. some thought.

No one above the LAW...we can only sympathy for the family
Leaving one culprit especially on DRUG abuse may kill 1000 teen age citizens.
Singapore can't afford to.....Lets stick to the VERDICT by the court. I can recall
of the miserable NS days in 1970s (as a medical orderly in SAF) and how much effort has been taken by the Govt
to control DRUG abuse.SANA was formed mainly for that purpose.

The funny thing about Singapore's court of law is, you get caught drug trafficking, you get the death sentence.
BUT when you get caught killing an innocent child, trampling him to death, banging his head against the wall till he drops dead and die, you get off with just a life sentence. Which would probably mean a max of 35 yrs? +/- the holidays & weekends, probably 30yrs. Weighing the 2, the latter deserves a heavier sentence.

The law regarding drug traffiking is very clearly stated at every point of entry to singapore, including the immigration card which the kid signed. He was fully aware of the law regarding drugs in singapore at tme of entry. The law is even the same in his own country, malaysia. THERE IS NO EXCUSE. He thought he could sneak thru, but unfortunately got caught and therfore has to pay the price for his mideeds!

Dear fellow citizen,

It is extremely easy to say that the condenmed, young man deserves to die - probably so according to our laws. But it is extremely agonising and deep soul searching to say that he should be given a 2nd chance to live as after all - death and life penalties are carved out by men and enforced differently in different countries. There is no absolute right or wrong to things created by men.

I say again, irrespective of what our society and authorities said and did - he should be given a 2nd chance to live.

WARMEST REGARDS

$300 for 5 packs of cig---- is $1500 not $1000.

@ hot: Vui Kong also had a choice not to smuggle the drugs into the country. Everyone has already been told of the capital punishment for drug trafficking into Singapore but every now and then (or should i say, Everyday), there are people trying their luck... It's sad that this has to happen but he's causing hurt and harm to the drug abuser (as well as their families) by being part of the drug syndicate.

Only 1 life, treasure it. Jump down, game over. Criticize doesn't help, teach our children instead.

"Yong Vui Kong is young. But if we say 'We let you go', what is the signal we are sending?"
Well... To the minister who said this : I bet if he is your son, u wouldnt be sayin this.

Here we go again. Everytime there's a news story about the death penalty, you'll be sure to see a bunch of misguided tree-hugging 'peace' lovers like John and Hot (very intelligent names btw) coming to speak out against it.

Its the same old flawed arguments they bring up:

"Don't hang! Life imprisonment better!"
Ok. Are you ready to pay to upkeep them? While some law-abiding homeless old man out there still can't get a home or even medical treatment? You think the state has infinite money?

"Nobody has the right to take another's life"
But the murderers and drug traffickers do it anyway. And strangely, there are more of these guys around in countries that have NO death penalty.

"So cruel! Have sympathy leh!"
The murder victim's family still alive and suffering by the way. Can go give them your sympathy instead? They need it more than the stinking CRIMINAL. CAN?

"You may end up hanging innocent people"
Millions of innocent people die every year to car accidents, plane crashes, food poisoning and even while having SEX. Shall we ban these too?

Just give up already. If you hate capital punishment so much then leave the country and enjoy "crime free" living in the UK/Australia, where your next door neighbor was an ex-murderer who only served 10 years of life imprisonment because of 'good behaviour' while in Prison.

he committed a mistake when he was only 19. 19 freaking years old,how many of you knew better when you were 19 years old given his family circumstances?

you made mistake,seek forgiveness and be given a second chance.you hear any death mongers calling out to hang your sorry @#$%??

HELL NO!

YET,when this young boy made a mistake that ruined his life,you death mongers(yes,that means you anthony tan) are so quick to call for his death citing that drugs ruin this ruin that,lest you forget,you ALSO HAVE A CHOICE TO NOT TAKE DRUGS!

so before you death mongers decide to call for death,REMEMBER,HE DID NOT KILL ANYONE,DID NOT COMMIT MASS MURDER,DID NOT RUIN ANYONE'S LIVES.

SO WHAT IS YOUR JUSTIFICATION IN CALLING FOR HIS DEATH?JUST BECAUSE HE BROKE ONE LOUSY BARBARIC,DRACONIAN LAW????

I am a Malaysian and had a friend who had a brush with the law in Singapore. My Malaysian friend was riding his Malaysian friend's motorbike in Singapore when the police pulled him aside and asked for his license. He had his license. Next the Police asked for the bike's grant and insurance, but my friend told the police that the bike he was riding was his friend's and could not show any other documents. The police arrested him held him in lock up and the bike. He called me from the station and told me that he can be released on bail for S2000 or a Singaporean can bail him with no fees. I called my Singaporean friend and he help to bail him out the same night. My Malysian friend was told to appear before court in a week with all the original documents for the bike. We got the documents sent from his hometown from Alor Star ( Kedah) to our residence in Singapore. On the day of his case being mentioned in court, I went along, but the police wanted a word with my M friend and I tagged along into the office. The police officer asked who I was and I told the officer I was his collleague and wish to translate for my friend since he does not speak or write English. The officer told me to leave the room and my friend remained. A short interview took place. Later he came out and went to the courtroom, when his case was read out, there was a interpreter assisting him in Mandarin - my friend does not speak or write English. My friend told the interpreter that in Malaysia, motorbike owners in Malaysia need not carry any documents of insurance or bike grant with them, so he did not know that the law required him to do so in Singapore and told that this was his 1st offense. While all this was being said by the interpreter, the judge did not have eye contact or carry his head to see my friend's face but was busy writing all the while. The judge without hesitation fined my friend for some S600 and case over. My friend paid the fine. When we approached the police officer he told us to come back after lunch to collect it. I lost my cool and demanded the documents be returned immediately to my friend since the case was closed and the fine paid. I raised my voice to the officer telling him that we will not be intimidated by police. The police immediately went to his office and returned all the documents to us. My point here is to mention how the police and court handled this minor offense ( due to ignorance of the law ) and did not take into consideration of my friend's appeal. I feel the courts in Singapore does not take sentiments into consideration at all. Better let a programmed computer handle cases. No need judge. Very cruel ruling on Vui.

Try to put it in another perspective and think. This is definitely not the only right, correct or fair thing to solve or handle drug trafficking issue.

For a 19 yrs old teenager, coming from a rural area, totally inexperience about the outside world, was mislead into doing something which Singapore took it too seriously, or at least go case by case basis. I do know bringing drugs into Singapore is providing opportunity for people to come in contact with it which may cause destruction in peoples' lives and economy, its comparable to what our current govt. had done, by building 2 casinos here which also may cause destruction to peoples' lives.

So back to the main point, which I would like to highlight, that drug trafficking is a serious offence, but not to the extent that a maximum penalty of death is punishable which falls under the same category with a murder case. If this is an issue so serious that a death penalty has to be given, why that no one even think of eliminating the source for producing heroin or ban it which was produced mostly in Afghanistan and some countries in southeast Asia. Was it the reason of driving up the GDP growth in that particular country?

You learn something new here everyday.

To some people, life imprisonment is actually 'giving a person a 2nd chance'. Spending the rest of your life in prison IS. HAVING. A. SECOND. CHANCE.

LOL.