A Cobber with a Long Neck

I have only been to Singapore and Malaysia once in my life.  I was six years old at the time in the spring of 1979.  Consequently, I don't remember much about my holiday, which lasted six weeks.  There is one thing I do know about both countries: their zero tolerance for anyone involved in drugs trafficking.

So it comes as no surprise that I have equal zero tolerance of Australian man, Tuong Van Nguyen, who is due to be hung in Singapore on drugs charges related to a Sydney syndicate who set him up to smuggle 396g of heroin from Asia into the country.  I see my link in the Hobart Mercury exposes a large degree of namby-pamby, 'don't hurt a hair on his holy head' type balderdash.  Sorry, I cannot subscribe to this sickening sympathy.  Visitors to both Malaysia and Singapore are left in no doubt as to what the penalty will be if caught and convicted of drugs running.  Upon entering customs in both states, signs are pinned on the wall informing tourists that the death penalty, and only the death penalty, will be administered in the event of conviction for this offence.  None of this 'human rights' pigswill the judicial systems of the West are so adept at following - often to the detriment of those on the receiving end of serious criminality.

Nguyen is going to snuff it!!  No messin'!!  The more the sassy, dewy-eyed governments of Australia and elsewhere petition the Singaporean authorities, the sooner the sentence will be performed.  As far as I can ascertain, this man was not dyslexic of afflicted with learning difficulties.  He knew full-well what the result would be if and when he was caught.  As the old maxim goes: 'If you can't do the time, don't do the crime'.  Or would it be more appropriate to use the one I just made up?: 'If you don't want the noose, don't play fast and loose.'

Comments

[Sean Fear]

To be honest, I'd have thought John Howard's government would be quite unworried by this.

Like you, I have very little sympathy for the man. If you want to traffick heroin, don't go to Singapore; it's as simple as that.

[Garfield]

Go to Afghanistan where the Americans and British have set up the Warlords to run the place as the world's heroin factory.

Karzai never leaves Kabul and is protected by foreigners because he can't trust the Afghans.

What a mess.

Everyone is growing opium now. By the way Andrew, did ATW do anything on the British Army being sent to the south of the country?

The body bags will start coming home by the end of next year. My prediction.

[Colm]

I don't agree with the death penalty in principle, but I can't find fault with the basic premise of Andrew's comment. I feel no sympathy for anyone who KNOWS the penalty for an offence in a given country and chooses to risk it. I also don't understand why it is that whenever foreign , specifically Western individuals fall foul of native laws such a big fuss is made by the International media and their own governments. If there are genuine questions over the guilt or innocenc e of an individual , or a belief that he/she is being treated unfailry for politicised reasons then yes there is areason to intervene, but purely to object to the impostion of the same penalty that a local would endure is not justified.

[ch in texas]

Colm, I guess the ugly fact is that Westerners expect to be treated better than everyone else like our s**t don't stink.

[Poosh]

What if he's been set-up? What if someone slipped the drugs in his bag without him knowing?

[Sean Fear]

Then it would be right to campaign on his behalf. In this case, I don't think his guilt is disputed.

[Poosh]

How would you know his guilt is in dispute?

A present for DV:

[Aileen]

I'm going to be in a minority of one here. Like Colm I don't support the death penalty and like everyone else I abhor drug smuggling and agree that he has been very stupid to risk it considering what yiou say are the warnings.

However I still feel sorry for him and for anyone who finds them selves in a situation, even if it is entirely of there own making from which they can't escape.

[Poosh]

I second Aileen's feelings while pretending I don't agree with Colm...

[The Troll]

I think the only dissapointment I have is that this man is not French

[Gavin Ayling]

Sympathy for criminals is what has created our now lawless society.

I have misgivings about the death penalty, especially with respect to miscarriages of justice. But when there is unequivocal evidence (not just reasonable doubt) it seems sensible to have this ultimate deterrent.

Death can never be considered an 'occupational hazard' by a soft criminal which can only result in less crime...

[David Vance]

Poosh,

How I laughed. Poor pathetic deranged Peace Mom.

[Monica-Philadelphia]

Too bad - he was stupid obviously. Either that or the payoff for taking such a risk is worth it to some people.

We all make choices in life. I choose not to smuggle drugs into Malaysia. The risk isn't worth it.

[Sean Fear]

Singapore does display prominent notices at the airport telling drug traffickers that they can turn themselves in, before entering the country. They'll serve a prison sentence, and be deported at the end of it, but they won't hang.

Personally, I wouldn't sentence drug traffickers to death, but I can feel no sympathy for those who choose to run this particular risk.

[Canadiana]

Has there ever been such a collection of agreements on ATW?

Impressive to say the least.

[DST]

No Canadiana - there is not an agreement on this. For I, in the usually-honoured traditions of ATW, beg to differ with the consensus!

I think it's APPALLING that this poor man should not be allowed to ply his trade in peace. I mean WHATABOUT the Opium Wars and to attempts by the SO-CALLED British to ram heroin and amphetamines down the necks of the oppressed Chinese?

And what about the big pharmaceutical companies, that are allowed to ply their evil trade of ANIMAL TESTING and MAKING PROFITS with nary the threat of having a hand lopped off by the state.

As usual there's one rule for WHITE EUROPEAN FAT CAT CAPITALISTS and another for downtrodden ETHNIC MINORITY WORKERS of the so-called Third World like Tgong Bin Nguyoen.

I know I can call on everyone at ATW to rally round with me and oppose this injustice. I will be holding an ANTI-RACISM ANTI-GLOBALISATION rally this Saturday at midday outside the Wellcome Centre at Euston. Join me to show your opposition to NEO-COLONIALISM and HALLIBURTON.

[Canadiana]

Well done DST.

[Monica-Philadelphia]

LOL!