Singapore’s Minister for Law K. Shanmugam stated in defence of the death sentence: “If we say we let you go, what is the signal we are sending?” A suitable response may be something along the lines of: “You, Sir, are missing the point! We are discussing my life and death here. I do not see how the signals you may or may not send are relevant,” the point being that if something as fundamental as taking the life of a human being cannot be justified in principle, then it should not be considered at all. If it is morally unjustifiable, policy considerations should lose all relevance. The law minister is not saying that this young man deserves to die but rather that he should die because if he does not then Singapore risks sending a message that it is weak on drugs. Full story
OPINION: You, Sir, are missing the point! — Adrian K.H. Lee
Singapore’s Minister for Law K. Shanmugam stated in defence of the death sentence: “If we say we let you go, what is the signal we are sending?” A suitable response may be something along the lines of: “You, Sir, are missing the point! We are discussing my life and death here. I do not see how the signals you may or may not send are relevant,” the point being that if something as fundamental as taking the life of a human being cannot be justified in principle, then it should not be considered at all. If it is morally unjustifiable, policy considerations should lose all relevance. The law minister is not saying that this young man deserves to die but rather that he should die because if he does not then Singapore risks sending a message that it is weak on drugs. Full story
