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He should be acquitted -- plain and simple
Not even fined
Never used the Sinkie passport or any privileges assocaited with Singapore citizenship.
Blame his parents not him
Edmond Yao Zhi Hai, who has both Indonesian and Singaporean citizenship, failed to report for enlistment into full-time NS in January 1997. (Photo: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)
Prosecutors are seeking a maximum jail term of three years and a fine of $3,000 for a man who failed to report for enlistment into full-time NS back in January 1997, reports the Straits Times on Tuesday (28 April).
Edmond Yao Zhi Hai holds both Singaporean and Indonesian citizenship. His defence, per Channel News Asia, has argued for only a fine, saying that a jail term "disrespects this Indonesian citizen's desire to keep his Indonesian citizenship" and "disrespects Indonesia as well".
Yao has a Singaporean mother and an Indonesian father. He was born in Singapore in 1978 and issued a local birth certificate. His parents later obtained an Indonesian birth certificate for him via the Indonesian embassy, and through his father he was also able to secure Indonesian citizenship in March 1979.
Yao was issued with an Indonesian passport in 1983 which he used to travel in and out of Singapore – including to study overseas between July 1997 and June 2001. He has never held a Singapore passport.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tay Jia En, per ST, told the court: “NS is the universal duty for all Singaporean males.”
“The accused returned to Singapore past the age of 40, when it was no longer possible for him to serve any of his NS obligations. He has failed to report for an entire duration of 21 years, nine months, and seven days,” Tay said.
Yao was finally arrested in September 2021 and convicted of failing to report for full-time NS enlistment following a trial in March. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to outstanding charges under the Immigration Act.
District Judge James Elisha Lee adjourned the sentencing to May. You can read details of the sentencing arguments in CNA’s report, here.
Not even fined
Never used the Sinkie passport or any privileges assocaited with Singapore citizenship.
Blame his parents not him
Prosecution calls for maximum jail term in Singapore NS evasion trial
https://sg.yahoo.com/news/live/pros...o-oil-bloc-singapore-live-news-012434549.html
Edmond Yao Zhi Hai, who has both Indonesian and Singaporean citizenship, failed to report for enlistment into full-time NS in January 1997. (Photo: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)
Prosecutors are seeking a maximum jail term of three years and a fine of $3,000 for a man who failed to report for enlistment into full-time NS back in January 1997, reports the Straits Times on Tuesday (28 April).
Edmond Yao Zhi Hai holds both Singaporean and Indonesian citizenship. His defence, per Channel News Asia, has argued for only a fine, saying that a jail term "disrespects this Indonesian citizen's desire to keep his Indonesian citizenship" and "disrespects Indonesia as well".
Yao has a Singaporean mother and an Indonesian father. He was born in Singapore in 1978 and issued a local birth certificate. His parents later obtained an Indonesian birth certificate for him via the Indonesian embassy, and through his father he was also able to secure Indonesian citizenship in March 1979.
Yao was issued with an Indonesian passport in 1983 which he used to travel in and out of Singapore – including to study overseas between July 1997 and June 2001. He has never held a Singapore passport.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tay Jia En, per ST, told the court: “NS is the universal duty for all Singaporean males.”
“The accused returned to Singapore past the age of 40, when it was no longer possible for him to serve any of his NS obligations. He has failed to report for an entire duration of 21 years, nine months, and seven days,” Tay said.
Yao was finally arrested in September 2021 and convicted of failing to report for full-time NS enlistment following a trial in March. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to outstanding charges under the Immigration Act.
District Judge James Elisha Lee adjourned the sentencing to May. You can read details of the sentencing arguments in CNA’s report, here.
