Drug trafficker's fate unsure

[Orochi]

Singapore
Mar 15, 2010

Drug trafficker's fate unsure

<!-- by line --> By Selina Lum
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THE fate of a condemned drug trafficker given another shot at an appeal remains in the balance following arguments made for and against the death penalty by his lawyer and the prosecution before the highest court in the land. The Court of Appeal, which heard the intense legal debate for more than 2 1/2 hours before a packed courtroom on Monday, said it would deliver its decision on Yong Vui Kong's case at a later date. The session saw legal heavyweights in attendance on both sides.

The Attorney-General, Professor Walter Woon, flanked by seven prosecutors, argued the case himself. Yong's lawyer, Mr M. Ravi, had a three-man research team from London, led by a Queen's Counsel, which flew in specially for the hearing. They are doing the case pro bono. Yong, 22, was convicted by the High Court in 2008 of trafficking in 42.27g of heroin and given the death sentence, mandatory for offences involving more than 15g of the drug. He filed an appeal but told his lawyers then to withdraw it, one week before the hearing in April.

Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[zuoom]

unless the president intervene. Yong would be hang.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_302234.html

A MALAYSIAN, who was only 19 when he became a drug mule last year, was ordered to be hanged on Friday.

Yong Vui Kong was found guilty of trafficking in 47g of heroin on June 13 last year by Justice Choo Han Teck.

During the two-week long trial, his lawyers had argued that Yong was unaware of the contents in the packages in his possession.

They said Yong was merely following the instructions of his boss in Johor Baru to give 'presents' to people here.

These were wrapped in colourful wrapping paper and Yong had been assured by his boss that he would not land in trouble.

His boss had also made him promise not to open the packets.

Although Yong had told police he stood to receive $2,000 for running the errand, he denied it in court, saying that he had made up the lie as the police would not believe if he had told them he was just helping his boss.

The identity of the ringleader, who Yong said drove a Singapore-registered car, is unknown.

Dismissing the defence arguments, Deputy Public Prosecutors Peter Koy and Stella Tan argued that some of the packets had their ends opened and Yong would have seen the drugs.

Perhaps most damaging was the evidence of Yong's accomplice Reggie Gwee Chin Hian, 22, who testified that he had received drugs from Yong five to six occasions between May and June last year.

There had also been two past instances when the drugs were not wrapped when he received them.

The court heard that Yong would drive into Singapore with the drugs.

Once here, he would receive an SMS message with the telephone numbers of the recipients. On his trip on June 12, Yong, an odd-job worker, asked his friend Chai Hor Hsiang, 24, to accompany him.

They drove in at about 10pm and went to Yishun where Yong passed about 14g of heroin to Lim Foo Seng, 51 and received $5,000 in return.

Not realising that they were being trailed by Central Narcotics Bureau officers, they then tried to drive to Meritus Mandarin Hotel in Orchard Road.

They got lost and Yong boarded a taxi with his friend following in the car.

When arrested shortly after midnight after his delivery to Gwee. Yong looked shocked and asked for his mother.

His lawyers, who were assigned by the State as Yong was unrepresented in a capital case, told the court that Yong's father passed away many years ago and his mother was very sickly.

Both Gwee and Lim have been jailed for 22 years for trafficking in drugs.

Yong's friend Chai was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal as there was no evidence he knew of the drugs.

Yong looked devastated when the death sentence was passed, and was seen wiping tears away as he was manacled.

His case will now go before the Court of Appeal.

[email protected]

 

[Orochi]

Death row appeal: Judgement reserved

Singapore
Mar 16, 2010

Death row appeal: Judgement reserved

<!-- by line --> <!-- end by line --> THE fate of a condemned drug trafficker given another shot at an appeal remains in the balance following arguments made against and for the death penalty by his lawyer and the prosecution before the highest court in the land. The Court of Appeal, which heard the intense legal debate for more than 2 1/2 hours before a packed courtroom yesterday, said it would deliver its decision on Yong Vui Kong's case at a later date. The session saw legal heavyweights in attendance on both sides. Attorney-General Walter Woon, flanked by seven prosecutors, argued the case himself. Yong's lawyer, Mr M. Ravi, had a three- man research team from London, led by a Queen's Counsel, which flew in specially for the hearing. They are doing the case pro bono. Yong, 22, was convicted by the High Court in 2008 of trafficking in 42.27g of heroin and given the death sentence, mandatory for offences involving more than 15g of the drug. He filed an appeal but told his lawyers later to withdraw it, one week before the hearing in April.

Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.
SELINA LUM

 

[Orochi]

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</td> <td class="georgia12" align="center" width="33%">Photo 1 of 3</td> <td align="right" width="33%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top"> Although Yong had told police he stood to receive $2,000 for running the errand, he denied it in court, saying that he had made up the lie as the police would not believe if he had told them he was just helping his boss. -- PHOTO: CRO

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[Orochi]

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​

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</td> <td class="georgia12" align="center" width="33%">Photo 2 of 3</td> <td align="right" width="33%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top"> They drove in at about 10pm and went to Yishun where Yong passed about 14g of heroin to Lim Foo Seng, 51 and received $5,000 in return. -- PHOTO: CRO



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[Orochi]

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</td> <td class="georgia12" align="center" width="33%">Photo 3 of 3</td> <td align="right" width="33%">
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top"> Perhaps most damaging was the evidence of Yong's accomplice Reggie Gwee Chin Hian, 22, who testified that he had received drugs from Yong five to six occasions between May and June last year. -- PHOTO: CRO



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[lauhumku]

May 14, 2010
Drug trafficker loses appeal
By Selina Lum

Yong Vui Kong, a 22-year-old Malaysian sentenced to hang for trafficking heroin. -- PHOTO: CNB

SINGAPORE'S highest court on Friday dismissed the appeal of a condemned drug trafficker, saying that it was closing its doors to such challenges against the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty.

The three-judge court, comprising Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong and Judges of Appeal Andrew Phang and V. K. Rajah, were handing down their decision on the case of Yong Vui Kong, a 22-year-old Malaysian sentenced to hang for trafficking heroin.

Delivering the verdict, CJ Chan observed that there have been many challenges before the courts regarding the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty on various grounds in the past, which have all failed.

In the present case, he said, all possible arguments on this issue have been raised, considered by the court, and rejected. 'Further challenges in court on the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty have been foreclosed by our decision in this appeal,' he said.

But Yong's lawyer, Mr M Ravi, is not giving up. He told reporters he plans to go to court again over comments made by Law Minister K. Shanmugam to his client's case at a dialogue session with Joo Chiat residents on Sunday.

Mr Ravi said if that fails, he will make arguments against the 'flawed' presidential clemency process.

 

[Sun Wukong]

May 15, 2010

ARGUMENTS ON DEATH PENALTY
Court throws out arguments

<!-- by line --> By Selina Lum
<!-- end by line -->
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Yong was convicted by the High Court in 2008 of trafficking in 42.27g of heroin and given the death sentence, mandatory for offences involving more than 15g of the drug. -- PHOTO: CNB

IN THROWING out the appeal of a condemned drug trafficker yesterday, Singapore's highest court closed the door on future appeals on the grounds that the mandatory death penalty is unconstitutional. The Court of Appeal, comprising Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong and Judges of Appeal Andrew Phang and V.K. Rajah, was giving its decision in the case of Yong Vui Kong, a 22-year-old sentenced to hang for trafficking in heroin. The Malaysian had initially withdrawn his appeal against the sentence, but the lawyer he hired for the appeal, Mr M. Ravi, fought to get him another shot at an appeal, arguing on the grounds that the mandatory death penalty is unconstitutional.

Yesterday, in rejecting Mr Ravi's arguments, the Chief Justice noted that the many attempts to question the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty on various grounds in the past had all failed. In this case, he said, Yong had been given the chance to raise all possible legal arguments on the issue. 'All plausible arguments against the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty have been canvassed before us. We have considered the merits of these arguments and rejected them,' he said on behalf of the three-judge panel.

Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
[email protected]

 

[Sun Wukong]

Convict's last chance to escape death ...President to hear clemency plea; lawyer takes issue with minister's remarks

by Teo Xuanwei
05:55 AM May 15, 2010
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SINGAPORE - His first clemency plea was unsuccessful and now convicted drug mule Yong Vui Kong's last chance to escape death lies in the President's hands, after the highest court in the land dismissed his appeal. The 22-year-old Malaysian's argument that the mandatory death penalty is unconstitutional is also the last time the courts will hear such challenges, the Court of Appeal said.

All the plausible arguments on this issue have been raised, considered and rejected, Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong said on Friday. But Yong's lawyer, Mr M Ravi, told reporters he plans to file for a judicial review before the Court of Appeal over Law Minister K Shanmugam's remarks relating to his client's case during a residents' dialogue session last Sunday in Joo Chiat.

The resident had asked if Yong's case would affect Singapore's laws on the mandatory death penalty. Mr Shanmugam replied: "Yong Vui Kong (who was sentenced to hang for trafficking in 47g of heroin) is young. But if we say, 'We let you go', what's the signal we're sending?

"We're sending a signal to all drug barons out there: Just make sure you choose a victim who's young or a mother of a young child and use them as the people to carry drugs into Singapore." With the sympathy generated after these people are caught, he added, there will be "a whole unstoppable stream of people coming through as long as we say we won't enforce our laws".

As Yong's case was subjudice, or still under judgment, Mr Ravi said his client's fate had been "poisoned" with "biasedness". In reply to media queries, the Ministry of Law said: "The Government has made clear its policy and philosophy on having the mandatory death penalty for a number of offences, such as drug trafficking.

"Minister Shanmugam, in response to a specific question ... reiterated the policy and philosophy behind the death penalty and why Singapore adopted a tough stance." In their 71-page grounds of decision, Appeal Judges Andrew Phang, V K Rajah and CJ Chan disagreed with Mr Ravi that the mandatory death penalty - which does not allow judges to consider mitigating factors - ran counter to the Constitution.

CJ Chan noted that the Constitution does not expressly prohibit inhuman punishment, whether or not the mandatory death penalty qualifies as such. Further, given the Government's rejection in 1969 of a constitutional commission's recommendation to prohibit inhuman punishment, it would not be "legitimate" for the court to "legislate new rights into the Singapore Constitution under the guise of interpreting existing constitutional provisions", he said.

CJ Chan said the judges accepted former Attorney-General Walter Woon's argument that there were enough countries - 31 by his count - which still carried the mandatory death penalty for drug-related offences. Even if Singapore's laws should align to international legal obligations as far as possible, "there were inherent limits on the extent to which the Singapore courts could refer to international human rights norms for this purpose", said CJ Chan.

The power to craft the scale of punishment for various offences ultimately still lies with lawmakers and not the Judiciary, he added. Yong's two brothers were listening in the packed courtroom. Older brother Yun Leong, 24, told reporters he was very disappointed with the decision. Their mother will continue to be kept in the dark about his brother's fate, he added.

 

[chobolan]

M'sia seeks pardon


Jul 6, 2010

TRAFFICKER ON S'PORE DEATH ROW
M'sia seeks pardon

<!-- by line --> <!-- end by line --> KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA will plead with Singapore to spare the life of a drug trafficker who has been sentenced to death in the city state, according to reports on Tuesday. Both Malaysia and Singapore have tough anti-drug laws and rarely seek clemency for nationals facing drug charges in the the other country. But Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Aman spoke out after Singapore's highest court in May rejected a death sentence appeal by Yong Vui Kong, who was 19 when he became a drug courier three years ago.

'We sympathise with what has transpired and will do everything possible within our power or within diplomatic channels to resolve this,' Mr Anifah was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper. 'He has one more avenue (of appeal) and I will be writing to the government of Singapore to plead for his clemency,' Mr Anifah added. The minister told the paper he was also waiting for Yong's lawyers to provide legal arguments on why his life should be spared. An aide to the minister confirmed his comments but refused further comment.

Yong was convicted in 2008 of trafficking 47g of heroin into Singapore and was sentenced to death but appealed the decision, the paper reported. It said he later withdrew the appeal and then decided to petition Singapore's president for clemency, a request which was rejected. Just four days before his planned execution, Yong's lawyers filed an appeal to Singapore's Court of Appeal but it was dismissed in May this year. In Singapore, the death penalty, which is carried out by hanging, is mandatory for anyone caught trafficking more than 15g of heroin, 30g of cocaine or 500g of cannabis. -- AFP

 

[chobolan]

Petition to free man from Singapore death sentence


Monday July 19, 2010

Petition to free man from Singapore death sentence

By LEE YUK PENG
[email protected]

PETALING JAYA: An online petition is racing against time to collect as many signatures as possible by Aug 22 to save Malaysian Yong Vui Kong, convicted of drug trafficking, from being hanged in Singapore. In the latest posting on the Stand Up for Yong blog yesterday, an urgent appeal was made to help save the young Sabahan.

Organisers of the “Save Vui Kong” campaign plan to submit the signatures in an appeal to President of the Singapore, S. R. Nathan, to give Yong a second chance. Yong, 22, was convicted on Jan 7 last year for trafficking in 47gm of diamorphine, a capital offence under Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act. Yong was arrested on June 13, 2007, at the age of 18.

The last day for Yong to file his petition for clemency is Aug 26, after which he will be hanged at any time. While the blog said Yong’s appeal for clemency had been prejudiced by certain comments made by Singapore Law Minister K. Shanmugam on the case, Shan_mugam has denied making statements that prejudiced the appeal.

Yong’s only hope is if his appeal is allowed and the death sentence is commuted to a prison term. According to the blog, Yong grew up in poverty and had taken on odd jobs at the early age of 10. He received very little education and was left alone without any real guidance and this led him to the path that ended in court. The blog claims that Yong is a changed person since his imprisonment.

Finding faith in Buddhism, he is using the remaining days of his life to counsel fellow inmates and educate the general public on how drugs destroy life. On July 5, Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman was reported as saying the ministry would be writing to the Singapore government to plead for clemency for Yong. Yong’s lawyer M. Ravi brought up his client’s plight at Parliament in an attempt to seek help from the Malaysian Government to save him from execution.

 

[chowka]

M'sia seeks clemency for inmate


Jul 29, 2010
M'sia seeks clemency for inmate

SINGAPORE has received a clemency appeal from the Malaysian government for a drug trafficker facing the death penalty in the city-state, the foreign ministry said. The appeal was sent by Malaysia's foreign minister, a Singapore foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement issued late on Wednesday.

Responding to media queries, the spokesman 'confirmed that the ministry has received a letter of appeal for clemency for Yong Vui Kong from Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman'. 'The letter of appeal has been referred to the legal authorities,' the spokesman added. Yong faces the death penalty, which is carried out by hanging, after he was convicted in 2008 of trafficking 47 grams of heroin into Singapore.

Both Malaysia and Singapore have tough anti-drug laws and rarely seek clemency for nationals facing drug charges in the other country. But Mr Anifah spoke out after Singapore's highest court in May rejected an appeal against the death sentence from Yong, who was 19 when he was caught.

In Singapore, the death penalty is mandatory for anyone caught trafficking more than 15 grams of heroin, 30 grams of cocaine or 500 grams of cannabis. Amnesty International has said Singapore, with a population of nearly five million, has one of the highest per capita execution rates in the world. It put 420 people to death between 1991 and 2004. -- AFP

 

[SwineHunter]

Petition against penalty


Aug 2, 2010
Petition against penalty

<!-- by line --> By Zakir Hussain

<!-- end left side bar -->

The signatures will be pooled with 12,000 already collected by the Save Vui Kong Campaign in Malaysia, and submitted to President S R Nathan this month. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN

ABOUT 140 people gathered at Speakers' Corner in Hong Lim Park on Sunday to sign a petition to spare convicted Malaysian drug trafficker Yong Vui Kong from the gallows. The signatures will be pooled with 12,000 already collected by the Save Vui Kong Campaign in Malaysia, and submitted to President S R Nathan this month.

Yong, 22, was convicted by the High Court on Nov 14, 2008, of trafficking in 47.27g of heroin. The death penalty is mandatory for trafficking 15g or more of the drug. The Court of Appeal turned down his appeal in May, and he has till Aug 26 to file a plea for presidential clemency.

Sunday's event at the Speakers' Corner was organised by the Singapore Anti-Death Penalty Campaign, a loose group led by activists Seelan Palay, 26 and Rachel Zeng, 27; and by socio-political website The Online Citizen (TOC), which has called for an end to the mandatory death penalty. TOC chief editor Andrew Loh said Yong had become repentant in prison; and argued that hanging him would not deter drug barons from finding others to do their work.

 

[chowka]

High Court rejects drug trafficker's appeal to spare his life


High Court rejects drug trafficker's appeal to spare his life
By Zul Othman | Posted: 13 August 2010 2133 hrs
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SINGAPORE: The High Court has rejected convicted drug trafficker Yong Vui Kong's petition for a judicial review of the clemency process - his lawyer's third bid to spare Yong from the gallows.

But the 22-year-old's fate is not yet sealed as his lawyer M Ravi indicated he would appeal against the latest ruling.

Last month, Mr Ravi argued in court that the clemency process had been "tainted with bias" after public remarks by Law Minister K Shanmugam, who reiterated why Singapore adopts a tough stance on drug mules regardless of their age. The Law Ministry has refuted Mr Ravi's claims that the minister's comments had interfered with Yong's case.

Delivering his judgement on Friday, Justice Steven Chong said he found no flaws in the clemency process provided for by the Constitution. The judge added the power to grant pardons under Article 22P of the Constitution is exercised by the Cabinet and not the President who has no discretion in the matter.

While Justice Chong did not grant Yong a permanent stay of execution, he has invited the prison authorities to extend the deadline for the filing of the clemency petition - which would allow Yong to appeal against his ruling.

- CNA/wk

 

[yellow people]

Wednesday August 18, 2010

Vui Kong’s mum yet to know of death sentence

PUTRAJAYA: The mother of Yong Vui Kong (pic) has yet to know that he has been sentenced to death for trafficking drugs in Singapore. Family members have withheld the information from Liaw Yueng Kuan, 55, as they are worried about her health. The mother of seven is said to be suffering from depression and the family fears that her condition will deteriorate if she knows of her son’s predicament.
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Even Vui Kong did not mention the death sentence when she visited him in Changi Prison in December last year.

Liaw and two of her daughters – Yuk Ying, 32, and Vui Fung, 20 – called on Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman at Wisma Putra yesterday to hear for themselves efforts that the Govern_ment had taken to help Vui Kong. Anifah said the family had decided not to tell Liaw about the matter to spare her from further anguish.

“I have informed the family that the Government had submitted a letter appealing for clemency. “This is the best that we can do to help save Yong from the gallows and we hope our appeal will be taken into consideration,” he told reporters after meeting Vui Kong’s family yesterday.

Vui Kong, 22, was convicted on Jan 7 last year for trafficking in 47gm of diamorphine, a capital offence under Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act. Yong was arrested on June 13, 2007 at the age of 18. This the first time Malaysia is appealing for clemency on behalf of its citizen the facing death sentence in Singapore.

Anifah said the letter appealing for clemency was personally handed to Singapore’s Foreign Minister George Yeo when the two met in Hanoi for the Asean Ministerial Meeting last month. “We respect one another. Appealing for clemency is provided under the Constitution of both countries and we feel that this should be done for Vui Kong,” he said.

 

[Yuan Shao]

Conman targets family of youth on death row


Wednesday August 18, 2010

Conman targets family of youth on death row

SANDAKAN: As if they did not have enough worries, the family of Yong Vui Kong, who is facing the gallows in Singapore, has become the target of swindlers. A man who identified himself as a senior Wisma Putra officer contacted Vui Kong’s father, Yong Kwong Keong via SMS on Friday, claiming that he could arrange for Vui Kong’s release provided he was paid RM8,000.

Suspecting something amiss, Kwong Keong sought help from Sandakan Chinese Chamber of Commerce secretary-general Stephen Wong Tien Fatt who contacted the Foreign Ministry and was told that there was no such person working in Wisma Putra. Wong then lodged a police report. Twenty-two-year old Vui Kong was senten_ced to death by the Singapore High Court last year after being convicted of drug trafficking.

A campaign has since being launched to collect 100,000 signatures nationwide to plead for clemency from the Singapore president. In a related development, a former drug trafficker and MPs and senators from both side of the political divide have joined the efforts to save Vui Kong from the gallows. They are among 20,531 people who signed the online petition “Give Yong Vui Kong a Second Chance to Help Singa__pore’s Anti-Drug Trafficking Policy” campaign.

A total of 38 MPs and 13 senators have signed the petition. Ex-convict Chang Zhang, 49, who escaped the death sentence and was jailed 15 years instead, appealed to the president of Singapore, S. R. Nathan, to give the young Sabahan a second chance as he was very young. The last day for Yong to file his petition for clemency is Aug 26, after which he can be hanged at any time. The online petition is also racing against time to collect as many signatures as possible by Aug 22.

 

[tommy]

Perhaps most damaging was the evidence of Yong's accomplice Reggie Gwee Chin Hian, 22, who testified that he had received drugs from Yong five to six occasions between May and June last year.
:
Once here, he would receive an SMS message with the telephone numbers of the recipients. On his trip on June 12, Yong, an odd-job worker, asked his friend Chai Hor Hsiang, 24, to accompany him.
:
They drove in at about 10pm and went to Yishun where Yong passed about 14g of heroin to Lim Foo Seng, 51 and received $5,000 in return.
:
Both Gwee and Lim have been jailed for 22 years for trafficking in drugs.
:
Yong's friend Chai was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal as there was no evidence he knew of the drugs.

This is strange.

Reggie Gwee Chin Hian testified that he had received drugs from Yong but got only 22 years. Why no death penalty?

Yong passed about 14g of heroin to Lim Foo Seng - Lim had drugs in his possession - got only 22 years.

Chai was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal as there was no evidence he knew of the drugs - sure or not?

 

[zuoom]

Yong Vui Kong was found guilty of trafficking in 47g of heroin.

http://www.cnb.gov.sg/drugs/bannedsubstance/heroin.aspx

Penalties

Possession or consumption of Heroin

* Up to 10 years of imprisonment or S$20,000 fine or BOTH

Illegal traffic, import or export of Heroin of more than 15 grams’:

* DEATH

they were just below the 15 gram difference.

 

[Yuan Shao]

Petition delivered to Istana


Aug 25, 2010
Petition delivered to Istana

<!-- by line --> By Rachel Lin and Zakir Hussain
<!-- end by line -->
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The petition was presented by a group of 12 of Yong's family members and supporters. Police officers from the Istana Security Unit received the petition outside the Istana's Cavenagh Road entrance. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG

<!-- story content : start --> A PETITION with close to 110,000 signatures was delivered to the Istana on Tuesday morning, calling on President S R Nathan to spare the life of convicted Malaysian drug trafficker Yong Vui Kong. It was presented by a group of 12 of Yong's family members and supporters. Police officers from the Istana Security Unit received the petition outside the Istana's Cavenagh Road entrance.

The group, which included the Member of Parliament for Yong's constituency in Sabah, met at Plaza Singapura at 9am. Most wore T-shirts with the words Give Life a Second Chance, the slogan for the Save Vui Kong Campaign. At 10am, they walked to the Istana's Cavenagh Road entrance, carrying a box, files and bundles of paper bearing the 109,346 signatures. These had been gathered over the past two months on the streets of Yong's home state of Sabah, as well as in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and online.

 

[chobolan]

Yong Vui Kong’s family pleads at Istana

August 25th, 2010 | Author: Online Press

The family of Yong Vui Kong has been working hard these past two months – hitting the streets in both Singapore and Malaysia to collect signatures for a petition begging President SR Nathan to spare Vui Kong’s life.

Activists in Malaysia have rallied to their cause. By 10 am this morning, the campaign had collected a total of 109 346 signatures. Among those who signed were 44 Members of Parliament and 15 senators in Malaysia.

guardVui Kong’s father and six siblings delivered the petition and signatures to the Istana earlier today. They were accompanied by Sabah MP Datuk Chua Soon Bui, some close relatives, as well as lawyers M Ravi and Ngeow Chow Ying.

The family was not able to hand the petition to guards at the front gates of the Istana and had to use an alternative entrance 15 minutes away. The group walked uphill, in the blazing heat to this other gate where they were met by Security Officer, Corporal Marcus Chong [picture, right].

He took the files of signatures and told the family, “You may leave now.” Vui Kong’s father, Mr Yong Kwong Keong, had prepared a personal message for President Nathan. Corporal Chong was asked to help pass this on but declined to do so, instead asking repeatedly for the family to vacate the area.

Mr Yong broke down in tears and the family knelt down in front of the gates. They remained there for several minutes before guards ordered them to leave. At a press conference held later, Mr Ravi expressed disappointment over how the Yong family was treated at the Istana.

“We are also faced with the unfortunate circumstance that we have to go to the Istana,” he said, “even though the courts have said that the President has no power.” Datuk Chua urged President Nathan and the Cabinet to give Vui Kong’s case due consideration before making a final decision. She also questioned a decision by prison authorities to deny her request to visit Vui Kong on Monday.

The Online Citizen understands two of his aunts were also denied access, although a cousin was granted entry. “I feel the authorities should be more human,” Datuk Chua said. “This case is a special case. We don’t know how long before [Vui Kong’s] life is terminated. The family members and I came here just to see Vui Kong. We feel this is not too much to ask.”

The deadline for Vui Kong to submit his clemency appeal to the President is Thursday, 26 August. However, when handing down his decision on Mr Ravi’s application for a judicial review of the clemency process, Justice Steven Chong had “invited” the Singapore Prison Service to extend the stay of execution as he said he expected Mr Ravi to appeal his judgement.

Mr Ravi has requested confirmation of the extension from the Prison Service, however, as of Tuesday, 24 August, he has yet to receive a response. Vui Kong was arrested in June, 2007. He was 18 and a half years old then. The Singapore courts subsequently sentenced him to death for trafficking 47g of heroin into Singapore.

He was originally scheduled to hang on 4 December last year, but since then, his lawyer, M Ravi, has managed to obtain two stays of executions. In the past few weeks, the Yong family, as well as campaigners in both Malaysia and Singapore have worked round the clock, organising public forums and collecting signatures online and on the streets, to appeal to President Nathan to spare Vui Kong’s life.

Several non-governmental organisations are backing the campaign. These include the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia, Amnesty International Malaysia, Lawyers For Liberty, Amnesty Hong Kong and the Singapore Anti-death Penalty Campaign. The Malaysian government added its voice to the call for clemency when it sent a letter of appeal to Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 29.

The Singapore government however has yet to respond to the letter. A spokesman for the ministry told the media that “[the] letter of appeal has been referred to the legal authorities.” The campaign to save Vui Kong does not end today. “We will continue to collect signatures until the President makes a decision,” said Ms Ngeow. “As long as there’s time, even if there’s just one second left,” said Yun Leong, “we will all still work hard for Vui Kong.”