Drug-Free Nation, So, He Dies.

Ah, my first double-post in a day, and perhaps, finally one of importance.

I'll be kidding no one if I say this will make an iota of difference. All I hope to achieve is to remind myself when I look back some time down the road, that for a moment in time...something profoundly touched me.

Shanmugam Murugesu. A name. An Indian name. Uncommon, perhaps, but not one of note to most people. To two more names, Gopalan and Krishnan Murugesu, however, it's the most important name in all the world. For, you see, Murugesu is their father. And on a yet-known day some time in the immediate future, this man, will die.

The entire story is all here. For those of you who don't know, and for some strange reason are here, I strongly urge you to click and learn. For myself, I found out while I was striding down Orchard Road one day, toward some purpose that, then ever-so-important, became simply, fucking, nothing in the face of the enormity of the situation this family faces.

Some commotion ahead. What, are they hawking something again? No, wait, they're distributing flyers of some sort. Gods damn these pests. Rapidly approaching the proximity where noise resolves into sense, little snatches of what I'd thought to be their touting filtered in over the dull buzz of the crowd.

"...Save..."

"Help save..."

"Help save the boys' father!"

Immediately, I did. And read the flyer, for the information in the above link. I wish I had that copy, so I could tell you what it said. Basically, it was an appeal directly from the twin boys of Murugesu, for the public to help appeal to the President for clemency for their father. What I can recall went something along the lines of:

"Please, help us ask the President for clemency. We know he has done a bad thing but he is all we have. Send him to prison for life, where, at least, knowing he is alive, we can draw strength. Please god, don't let him die."

No, no drama. I didn't cry or shed a tear. I find it hard to, and the last time I did was literally years ago. But I was stunned, shocked, and...touched. I looked around for the boys (A Chinese Woman gave me the flyer, I think she was helping out), and there they were, two nondescript teenage Indian boys, shouting the same mantra the woman was, for all the world looking and sounding like newspaper sellers. Yet underneath the forced energy was a quiet melancholy. During lulls in the crowd, with no need to shout, etched upon their faces was an infinity of mirrored sadness.

The President has since received and rejected the appeal: Murugesu will hang. Did we really expect anything else? Yes, I understand the laws are there for the protection of the public. Yes, no one should be exempt or singularly above it, for such would lead to social chaos and disorder. Yes, Singapore is oh-so-proud of its strict stance on such matters which the President underlines in his rejection of the plea. But above all, a resounding YES as to whether I think this kind of Singapore should whack some fucking sense into its head.

So riddle me this: Why does a man who hacked up his wife's face over a petty domestic squabble and a man who sexually abused his mentally retarded daughter (yes, actual cases) get some strokes of the cane (I understand also, that it's no walk in the park but still) and their ass in jail, while a man who in a moment of folly attempted to transport drugs for money to support his 60 year old mother and two teenage boys' education must, without question, hang? Oh, fuck, I do understand I may not have the complete picture here, and that things are never quite as simple as they seem, but what does this say about the Singapore government's care for the two teenage boys?

"Well, excuse us, young gentlemen, but we'll just run along and kill your father, now. We understand this is a considerable blow to you and may, of course, entirely crush your lives. But hey! Shit happens, so run along and do your best to rise above this and become good outstanding citizens that'll make yo' country proud now, you hear?"

I have no wish or intention at all to slander my government, for in a lot of things, it has indeed done the best for its people. I well and truly appreciate the things a lot of people take for granted: Non-corrupt government officials, safe streets and economic strength. But I really, -really- wish the cabinet would take some time out from sharing tearful stories about the evils of gambling and games of chance...to give Murugesu and his two amazing sons their chance.

Because the House is showing an Ace to their 2, and the stake is his life, and their future.

They say the House, always...