The Death Penalty

According to the Amnesty International, in 2003, more than 1,146 people were executed in 28 countries while more than 2,756 were sentenced to death in 63 countries. And Singapore is one of them together with advanced nations like the USA and Japan.

Singapore enforces some of the world's toughest drug laws. Anyone aged 18 or over convicted of carrying more than 500 grams (17.6 ounces) of cannabis faces mandatory execution by hanging. In its 2004 report, rights group Amnesty International said about 400 people have been hanged in Singapore since 1991, mostly for drug trafficking, giving the wealthy city-state of 4.2 million people possibly the highest execution rate in the world relative to its population. Amnesty said only 6 people sentenced to death in Singapore have been spared execution. Singapore has staunchly defended its use of the death penalty and maintained that capital punishment has deterred major drug syndicates from establishing themselves in Singapore.

So at first view, it seems justifiable for Singapore to enforce the death penalty for drug offences and murders. After all, we do not want to end up like some crime-ridden cities in the advanced West where drug peddlars operate openly at street corners.

But is it morally acceptable? Does the death penalty really help to reduce the crime rate, the murder rate or the drug trafficking rate? There could be some truth that the draconian death penalty has helped to scare off the drug lords. But it also could be true that our overall deterrence strategies such as police raids, their strict vigilance and custom checks have also helped.

The death penalty has been around for eons. But that does not justify it still being around as nations and societies progress socially and culturally. The many advanced countries in Europe have long abolished it.

Also does a mere mortal, albeit a trained and wise one, has the right to send somone else to death? Should society be permitted to decide as to who and when someone should be killed? Should we not focus on alternative modes of punishment?

At 6am tomorrow morning, one more Singaporean will go to the gallows for a drug offence, leaving behind his two sons and his mother. If only, this judgement could be reversed. And let our society mature to a higher level of social consciousness and respect for life.