YOURSAY | A life lost but drug kingpins roam free

YOURSAY | ‘How many of them are executed by no-nonsense Singapore gov’t?’

Nagaenthran executed earlier this morning, says family

KK Semenyih: This is very sad indeed (my wife and I were hoping for some miracle to happen).

It sends chills down my spine considering Nagaenthran Dharmalingam was an intellectually-challenged person who may not have clearly understood the danger.

I say this because I have an intellectually challenged 21-year-old son who will do any chores without any hesitation because he trusts all adults (in his circle). I can protect him for now and as long as I'm around. I can't help but worry about what will happen to him when I'm gone.

I know the law is the law but some sense of humanity is very much needed, which is seriously lacking these days. May the young man's soul rest in peace.

Vent: Singapore is a nation that has let its so-called 'squeaky' clean image get ahead of itself. So much so that it's now playing god. Taking the life of a human being by the state is murder by any other name.

There is no evidence to date that the death sentence is a deterrent for any crime. Various types of incarceration, even the castration of genitals in the case of rape, are more deterrent forms of punishment.

For as long as there is life, there will be regret and pain (physical and otherwise), which will suffice in most cases. Added to that is the possibility that sparing a life, even with life imprisonment, can lead to rehabilitation and personal transformation with the remote chance of parole too for good behaviour.

So, a so-called first world nation like Singapore (let's forget Malaysia for now) is just an empty shell of a nation when it comes to making humane decisions.

Yet that same state opens its arms to offshore accounts by all and sundry, some of whom may well be the drug lords laundering their ill-gotten gains on the backs of dead mules like Nagaenthran. Viva Singapore!

Hang Babeuf: Judge Sundaresh Menon presided over and dismissed Nagaenthiran's appeals. He was also the attorney-general who prosecuted Nagaenthiran and secured his conviction. This is arguably a blatant denial of a fair trial.

Some have claimed that Sundaresh had presided over appeals from Nagaenthran on two occasions.

Nagaenthran was convicted in 2010 and had his sentence affirmed in 2011. Sundaresh was Singapore's attorney-general at the time.

Some would argue that this sort of judicial management is as bad, and socially destructive, as drug trafficking.

Kilimanjaro: No one likes the loss of lives in this manner. It could have been reduced to a life sentence. But I understand the concern of Singapore. It owes care and responsibility to its citizens.

As a father, my concern will always be keeping my children away from drugs. We all know how drug use has devastated families.

The family of Nagaenthran could have saved a lot of tears had they kept close tabs on him. By not doing so, they shirked their responsibility to both their child and the society at large.

That his IQ was low was a mere excuse. I do not doubt the judgment of the court. My point of difference is only in the punishment that it could have been commuted to a life sentence.

"Go after the big fish"? Why was it necessary for Nagaenthran to "traffic" drugs across the border? It implies that these big fish may be in this country. You need a good statesman to rid this country of this horrific menace.

Oceanmaster: Nagaenthran was 24 years old when he committed the offence. It is not too difficult to lock him up and spare his life.

Yes, some argue, that is what the law says but to take away a life, in a civilised society, it’s a reflection of the collective psyche that deep down is driven by a barbaric mindset.

May the murdered soul rest in peace.

TTSH: I do not condone the death sentence. It can be heart-rending for anyone, not only for their families or friends.

I recalled an Australian Vietnamese who was also executed in 2005. The Australian government had appealed for clemency but to no avail. How about the two Australian drug ring leaders who were executed by firing squad in 2015 in Bali?

One has to watch on YouTube "Lee Kuan Yew explains death penalty for drug traffickers in Singapore with the BBC".

He had mentioned that he was willing to sacrifice one death for thousands of families being abused by drugs. Without this tough law, they will have to keep building prisons for the never-ending stream of offenders. This might explain why Singapore's laws are so tough on drug trafficking.

Thunderbolt: What's the point of going after these mules? Go after the big fish. You can execute 100 mules, but if you are unable to catch a single big fish, the drug trade will continue to flourish.

Singapore, such an advanced country, can't figure out this logic. I am very sorry for the parents to have to bear the 10 years of anxiety and the grief of losing a son. Shame on you, heartless Singapore.

Proof of Pudding Always in the Eating: Right now, I would prefer to be Malaysian than Singaporean.

At least Malaysia is not executing mentally challenged individuals for 44 grammes (one tablespoon?) of heroin while the drug kingpins roam free.

Have you wondered how many drug kingpins have been executed by the no-nonsense Singapore government? One?

Siva1967: No one, in authority or otherwise, legally or otherwise, has the right to take another life, regardless of what the reasons are. Only fate and god (if there is one) have the absolute right to one’s life.

Yes, lives are lost on a daily basis, but those are by war, violence, acts of terror and so forth. Those are barbaric acts carried out by uncivilised, irresponsible people. A government of a civilised country should not execute a person regardless of its objective.

I am not condoning the crime, but there are other ways to punish a person. What was the market value of that 44g compared to the corruption swindled by some politicians?

Fortis Est Veritas: Some years past, a German woman who was convicted of drug trafficking in Singapore was subsequently, through some legal mumbo jumbo, freed. It seemed to me then that economic and political clout had priority in that case.

Since everything is done legally (sic) there, many public officials in Asean use it as a base to allegedly launder criminally-acquired money.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.