The government has made amendments to the controversial mandatory death penalty law for exceptional murder, drug cases.
In Monday’s parliamentary sitting, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean revealed that more flexibility will be given to Singapore courts when it comes to the sentencing of some crimes that carry a mandatory death penalty.
He also said that the law will be changed so courts will have discretion to sentence some people convicted of drug-related and murder offences to the lighter penalty of life imprisonment with caning.
However, the exception comes when two specific, tightly-defined conditions are met.
One, the trafficker only played the role of courier and was not involved in any other part of the distribution process.
Two, the courier cooperates with the Central Narcotics Bureau in its investigation and assists in dismantling the syndicates or has a mental disability that prevents the accused from appreciating the gravity of his crime.
But do you agree with the changes made to the mandatory death penalty law?
A clip of a man hitting an office worker – who appears to be an employee under his supervision - has gone viral in Singapore, sparking outrage and calls for the authorities to step in.