Guest article

A couple of days ago I talked about the atrocious number of executions in Singapore and pointed readers to a piece by my mate Adrock. The Asian Australian chap who was then facing execution (he has now been subjected to this judicial form of legalised murder) hadn't drawn much discussion in the British or American media - Adrock being a Singaporean living in Australia has a special insight into it and he talked about this and the anti-democratic rule of Singapores dictators (who the West just love doing business with).

However, so nasty are these little dictators that they reach beyond their small island to place their dead hands on the shoulders of their citizens even overseas - one Singaporean blogger abroad was forced to withdraw his comments and publically apologise last year to avoid charges and being sued. Due to similar considerations Adrock has withdrawn his comments from Outrageous, Beautiful Misfit and asked if I would post them here on the Woolamaloo Gazette which I am perfectly happy to do for three reasons.

First I am not a Singaporean citizen so those little Asian autocrats have no hold on me and can kiss my Magnificent Celtic Arse because I am free to discuss my opinions in public ( a right enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, part of Scots law); secondly I believe in the freedom of speech and the free debate and exchange of ideas, regardless of the approval of authorities (actually if it is to various authorities' discomfort I think we are doing our democratic duty!) and this includes opinions I may or may not agree with but support the right to be expressed; thirdly Adrock is my mate - I enjoy reading his blog and his 'fuck you attitude'. It may not be to everyone's taste, but he publishes his opinions honestly and with an enjoyable sarcastic wit.

So here is the article he published a few days ago reproduced here - it is not a bleeding heart Liberal critique of capital punishment and repressive regimes (should we change this regime, George and Tony???) but it is, as ever, Adrock's honest opinon, freely expressed:

It's 11.45am...in just under 2 days Van Nguyen will be dead...either by
decapitation or strangulation...

You know im not one for compassion...Van Nguyen's case is just another
run-of-the-mill drug courier cases that dot the world...whether we do somethin
bout it or not...Nguyen will become another drug statistic...

Prime Minister John Howard has claimed that he and the Australian Government has
done everythin they can to protect the life of Australians...the funny thing
is...i believe him for once...for every avenue the Government has tried...it was
spat upon by Singapore...insultin the Australian citizenry...chances are...had
the Government pursued its claim...some kind of diplomatic incident would have
occurred...now we dont want that happenin do we?

Ive read and listened with great interest the opinions of Australians in papers
and radio...and it fascinates me to no end how gullible and naive most
Australians are...YES it is wrong to take someone's life...YES no one has the
power invested by God to take another man's life...YES Nguyen has done
wrong...YES he should serve jailtime and rot till he dies for all we care...BUT
he should not die by capital punishment...Nguyen is a smart adult who would have
seen the number of signs dotted on the flight to Singapore and visas indicatin
that the punishment for drug traffickin is death...he took a chance...he knew of
the consequences...he must serve the punishment...he deserves to be
punished...NOT by hangin...but by eternal incarceration...

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions...that's what i love about Australia
(and why ive left Singapore for as long as i can)...for every Australian who has
a Nguyen opinion...adrock2xander has a reply...here it is...for every Australian
or foreigner who has never visited Singapore...here's what's really goin on...

Singapore often calls itself a democratic society...i laugh when they do...what
audacity! Singapore is NOT a democracy...it is an autocratic...one-party society
in essence run by the Lee family...the Government there regularly applies its
Internal Security Act...which was introduced to combat communists in the
1960s...yes...i completely agree with the law back in the 60s as any effort to
quell Communism is an effort worthy of an applause...top marks for the Lee
Government then to put Communism down...but the Internal Security Act still
exists today...its purpose is not to combat Communism in this millenium...but to
stifle political dissent...without goin too much into the political situation in
Singapore...let's just say its persona non grata...

The Singapore defence force is disappropriately large (in relation to the size
and population of the country)...with capabilities such as heavy armor...which
keeps the Muslim neighbors of Indonesia and Malaysia nervous about Singapore's
long-term strategic intentions...

If the countries of Indonesia and Malaysia...with a combined population of 250
million...are afraid of Singapore's (population 4.5 million) military
might...what does it say bout the way Singapore is being run?

Singapore does not feel the need to take notice of public opinion...the public
in Singapore is kept ignorant and intimidated...fear of the Government is
somethin that's not spoken of by Singaporeans...while i do not agree with some
of the laws the Singapore government has passed...some of the implemented laws
have made me compare countries i invariably visit to Singapore...the truth
is...when it comes to stability and security...i wouldnt trade Singapore for
another country (Switzerland has a case though hehe)...

Many Singaporeans feel secure in the 'cocoon' the government has created for
them...like products off a conveyor belt...Singaporeans are moulded to think and
act alike and brought up never to think for themselves...everythin is provided
and automated for them...it is this sense of security and 'fake wholesomeness'
that leave many Singaporeans satisfied with what they have...ask a Singaporean
why they refuse to speak up...he'll give you a curt reply: "Im happy with the
way things are...it's safe and clean and my family's well...why should i
complain?" Says a lot doesnt it? For all its efficienty...it's hard to think
whether Singapore has done it too well for once...That's not to say Singapore
hasnt done anythin right...punishin Nguyen is a little step towards a better
society...think of all the drug addicts whose life will be destroyed just coz
Nguyen wants to pocket several hundred thousand dollars...however...i feel that
we elect a government to collectively represent our people...they respond to our
cries of help and work out palatable solutions for us...but for a country to
decide on its own what is right for one or another without the consultation of
others is eternally damnin...who gives the rights for Singapore to hang any
random strapped-with-drugs-Joe that steps into its puny shores?

Like ive said earlier...i dont care what crime Nguyen did...he could have
imported rabbits without payin tax or brought in a large catalogue of gay
magazines..let's leave him till he dies in the cell...at least he dies in a
humane way...the drugs that Nguyen smuggled in were never distributed to the
druggies...not one gram of it...no one was hurt...Nguyen didnt even smuggle the
drugs for himself...he did it out of love for his brother (who should be the one
dyin by the way)...it's not like he committed pedophilia or somethin
dastardly...why the hell is Singapore killin him?

One of the Ten Commandments is 'Thou Shall Not Kill'...Christianity is one of
the fastest growin religion in Buddhist-entrenched Singapore...i do believe the
Government has a large number of Christians within its ranks...if they are pious
and firm believers in the miracle of God...they should look into their hearts
and grant Nguyen a lifetime sentence instead...

God save Nguyen...and perhaps the Singapore Government..."