Friday November 11, 12:47 PM

Veterans join call for Singaporean clemency

War veterans in central Queensland have joined those trying to save an Australian drug trafficker who has been sentenced to death in Singapore.

Repeated pleas for clemency have been rejected and 25-year-old Melbourne man Van Nguyen is expected to be hanged later this month.

The veterans are laying a wreath outside the Singapore Armed Forces Base in Rockhampton, where thousands of troops taking part in an annual exercise are based.

Vietnam Veteran Nev Tickner says it is ironic that Van Nguyen could be hanged at Changi Prison, where so many Australians died at the hands of the Japanese during World War II.

"If Weary Dunlop or any of the boys that lost their lives in Changi were able to just come back for a minute and speak, well they'd be with me," he said.

"They'd be saying 'Well there's enough blood spilt here, just put him in the cell for the rest of his life or whatever, but spare his life.'"

Almost no chance

Prime Minister John Howard says the chance of convincing the Singaporean Government to spare the life of an Australian convicted drug trafficker is so remote, it is virtually non-existent.

Nguyen's lawyer, Lex Lasry, QC, has reportedly accused Mr Howard of lacking the heart to make a personal appeal for the man's life.

Mr Howard has rejected the criticism.

"I am doing my best in the way that I think most appropriate and more likely than any other way to achieve a good outcome, remote though that frankly is," he said.

"And we have to keep reminding ourselves of that and I do not think that doing what Mr Lasry has enjoined me to do will, of itself, make any difference at all."

Australian PM John Howard has refused to personally plea for this young mans life. The accused was born in a Thai refugee camp and migrated with his mother to Australia as an infant. Should he be sentenced to death for a minor drug crime in relation to the havoc caused by the real drug lord perpetrators?

Well if it's a "minor" drug offense I would say he doesn't deserve to die.

However, people who decide to break the law in other countries, especially ones with strict and harsh penalties, do so at their own risk and will be well aware of what they are doing.

It's Singapore - what else did he expect?

Look, this is a worthy discussion, and I personally feel for the poor sod, but it is not Thailand related, so I am going to close it. Topics such as this may be a bit more appropriate in Bedlam.

OK, due to popular demand, and the fact that I should have just moved it rather than close it (sorry, I am a sad SOD at home on a Friday night...) this has been move to bedlam.

If we can talk about US neo-colonialism here, then I guess this topic should be fine too.

If we can talk about US neo-colonialism here, then I guess this topic should be fine too.

Arai Na?

<500 post users see the link in General Topics, but cannot connect ....

While it is a worthy topic, I fear that it will just make everyone restate their views on the Death Penalty, without real regard to the case in hand.

Well, I am very firmly set against the DP, in every case.

This young man is due to DIE very shortly. It seems unlikely that anybody can save him.

Meanwhile, the real TRADERS make their annual profits and nobody bats an eyelid!

Is this Thailand related?

Is this Thailand related?

The guy was born in Thailand. Also the harsh drug laws are relevant to whole of SEAsia. Besides, how many of Bedlam's threads are Thai realted.

Let it be an example to all who mess with narcotics in SEA.

Rest is Peace.

I am against the death penalty in every instance...are all these veterans against it too or do they think that somehow veterens deserve special treatment under the law?

Edit: I see now that there is nothing stating that the drug dealer is a veteran so my question is not pertinent. So what are the veterans claiming? are they saying that the death penalty is not appropriate in every instance? or it is not appropriate for drug dealers? or that it is not appropriate in certain geographical places? What is their message?

Singapore has always been tough.

Recall the incident of the American who spray-painted cars (Mercs) and was canned.

He also spent some significant time in Changi Prison.

Singapore has always been tough.

Recall the incident of the American who spray-painted cars (Mercs) and was canned.

He also spent some significant time in Changi Prison.

Michael Fay was his name, a US citizen, jailed in 1994 for vandalizing cars with spray paint.

He was sentenced to four months prison, a large fine and six strokes of the rattan, which was subsequently reduced to four.

The US government tried to intercede on his behalf calling the rattan a "barbaric punishment". Interestingly, the US general public overwhelmingly supported the punishment.

The lad took it like a man and was photographed shaking the hand of the man that administered the strokes.

Never seen his name mentioned again, so, I presume it cured him of vandalizing cars.

He F@cked Up, But does he deserve to die?

IMHO - What he did is terrible and he should be subjected to severe punishment.

But not death.

Singapore has always been tough.

Recall the incident of the American who spray-painted cars (Mercs) and was canned.

He also spent some significant time in Changi Prison.

Michael Fay was his name, a US citizen, jailed in 1994 for vandalizing cars with spray paint.

He was sentenced to four months prison, a large fine and six strokes of the rattan, which was subsequently reduced to four.

The US government tried to intercede on his behalf calling the rattan a "barbaric punishment". Interestingly, the US general public overwhelmingly supported the punishment.

The lad took it like a man and was photographed shaking the hand of the man that administered the strokes.

Never seen his name mentioned again, so, I presume it cured him of vandalizing cars.

Beggars the question: is it really more barbaric to whip or cane somebody than to take their life?

I agree with john101.

Singapore has always been tough.

Recall the incident of the American who spray-painted cars (Mercs) and was canned.

He also spent some significant time in Changi Prison.

Michael Fay was his name, a US citizen, jailed in 1994 for vandalizing cars with spray paint.

He was sentenced to four months prison, a large fine and six strokes of the rattan, which was subsequently reduced to four.

The US government tried to intercede on his behalf calling the rattan a "barbaric punishment". Interestingly, the US general public overwhelmingly supported the punishment.

The lad took it like a man and was photographed shaking the hand of the man that administered the strokes.

Never seen his name mentioned again, so, I presume it cured him of vandalizing cars.

Beggars the question: is it really more barbaric to whip or cane somebody than to take their life?

I agree with john101.

I assume you're being ironic. Micheal Fay was a yob and it probably did him some good, death is unlikely to benefit anyone.

As for the posting about people who mess with narcotics getting what they deserve. Alcohol is a narcotic so is tobacco so is ganja so is cocaine. Should we hang all tobacconists ?

Michael Fay

Michael Fay, the American teenager who was roundly thrashed for his misadventures in Singapore, is currently negotiating for the movie rights to his story.

Following is the top 20 list of possible titles for his epic tale:

Young Spankenstein

A Fistful of Hollers

The Lash Detail

Cane's World

Beat Yerassic Park

Moonstruck

Blazing Saddles

My Left Cheek

American Graffiti

Fleshdance

Buttman

My Fair Heinie

Rear Unpleasant Danger

Lashee, Go Home

Bunsmoke

Field of Screams

Bunsmoke 2

Sorest Rump

Citizen Caned

http://www.corpun.com/awfay9405.htm

a very interesting article about the michael fay case.

including comments from singaporean judges comparing the philosophies of western and eastern judicial process ,

detailed descriptions of the whipping , and a photo of post whipped buttocks , (not nice.)

OUCH! mak mak (fluant Thai)

if they were more liberal with the cane you'd get queues of Englishmen lining up for it ...

He was caught with the drugs in Singapore....therefore he faces Singaporean punishment...it is well documented that the death penalty applies in many Asian countries...and yet they still do it. He was not an unknowing mule, he removed one body pack and transferred it to his hand luggage before landing in Singapore. It doesnt matter what his reasons were for being a courier... he made a decision to carry the drugs knowing full well what the penalties were, he obviously thought that the Singapore stopover was relatively safe and knew that a jail sentence was what he would receive if caught at customs in Australia.

no sympathy for the guy.

392 grams of Heroin.

Knowing it was illegal as hel_l before he even started.

Highly unlikey that he didn't have any idea of what possible penalties awaited if he got caught (it's not like there haven't been dozens and dozens of stories about what has happened to people caught with drugs all around SEA).

In some countries, he would have been executed within a couple hours of entering his guilty plea (and a bill for the bullet would be sent to his family).

His death might serve as a warning to others, but chances are, that warning will fall on deaf ears any ways.

PT Barnum is quoted as saying "There's a sucker born every minute, and 2 to take him".

It would appear that the drug lords and their middle-men have taken that saying to heart, as there seems to be a never ending supply of suckers willing to risk everything to transport drugs around the world.

In some cases, they are unknowing and perhaps unwilling pawns.

In this case, he knew what he was doing.

"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time" In this case, the "time" is fore ever.

Strewth: Targeting Singapore

Jane Fraser

November 11, 2005

WITH the execution of young Australian Nguyen Tuong Van in Singapore looming, bloggers are urging a boycott of all things Singaporean. High on the list of targets are Singapore Airlines and local telecommunications company Optus, which is owned by Singapore Telecommunications, which is owned by the Singapore Government. SingTel chief executive Lee Hsien Yang is also the brother of Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong. Perhaps it was karma at work; Optus chief Paul O'Sullivan yesterday unveiled his company's worst set of financial results this century. Optus's once mighty mobile phone business is in decline, sales have stalled and profits are falling. O'Sullivan refused to be drawn on the Nguyen hanging saga, saying: "I can't see any role for me to get involved in what is a political issue." His mainly middle-class customers might not be so dismissive.

- The Australian

The sad truth is that Singapore is a model that many facist countries like the US or even Australia, would love to follow.

If it was up to the people, these type of judicial system would be implemented everywhere. Of course when they fall victims of such an abusive system, they are the first to whine.

The sad truth is that Singapore is a model that many facist countries like the US or even Australia, would love to follow.

If it was up to the people, these type of judicial system would be implemented everywhere. Of course when they fall victims of such an abusive system, they are the first to whine.

What?

You like graffiti and those chunks of bubble-gum stuck to your shoes?

The sad truth is that Singapore is a model that many facist countries like the US or even Australia, would love to follow.

If it was up to the people, these type of judicial system would be implemented everywhere. Of course when they fall victims of such an abusive system, they are the first to whine.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What?

You like graffiti and those chunks of bubble-gum stuck to your shoes?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No I don't, but unlike you and Spee, I don't get off by watching teenagers be whipped by jail officials

If it was up to the people, these type of judicial system would be implemented everywhere. Of course when they fall victims of such an abusive system, they are the first to whine.

the guy who purposely spray paints a car in a country that whips people for spray painting cars is hardly a victim.

he asked to be whipped , the same as the guy who sticks his fingers in the power socket or the guy who feeds his dick into the meat grinder are asking for trouble.

nobody is forcing these people to be whipped or hung.

they know all the facts and they are aware of the stakes , but they still gamble.

i dont see them as victims of the system.

No, he doesn't deserve to die, but, on the final approach to Changi airport, he would have heard the flight attendant say on the PA system "The penalty for smuggling drugs into Singapore is death". This is a mandatory announcement for all flights landing in Singapore. This is incase you missed the warning in big, red letters on the immigration card.

No I don't, but unlike you and Spee, I don't get off by watching teenagers be whipped by jail officials

I don't get off on it either.

Vandals should be whipped in private.

cv