Seek justice at World Court, lawyer urges M’sian govt

Human rights lawyer M Ravi appeals to the Malaysian government to intervene on behalf of convicted drug trafficker Yong Vui Kong on death row in Singapore.

PETALING JAYA: The government was today urged to refer the case of convicted drug trafficker Yong Vui Kong, currently on death row in Singapore, to the International Court of Justice.
Human rights lawyer M Ravi, who is also Yong’s counsel, said this was because there has been a conflict of interest when Singapore’s Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong heard Yong’s case.
“Chan was a former Attorney-General and was an adviser to the president. Clearly, the proceeding did not allow Yong to receive a fair trial,” said Ravi.

In June 2007, the then 18-year-old Sabah-born Yong was convicted for being in possession of 47.27grams of heroin and sentenced to death in January 2009.

He was to be executed on Dec 4 the same year. Yong petitioned for a judicial review of the rules that can potentially allow offenders like him to be spared the gallows.

A three-member Court of Appeal panel comprising Chan, Justice Andrew Phang Boon Leong and Justice VK Rajah threw out his appeal on April 4 this year.

Phang subsequently said that Singapore President SR Nathan could only grant clemency on the advice of the Cabinet.

Ravi, however, dismissed Phang’s statement, saying the president does have discretionary power to grant clemency under the nation’s constitution.

On whether the Malaysian government has responded to his request, Ravi, a Singaporean, said he has yet to receive any feedback from Malaysian authorities.

“I hope Malaysian opposition MPs can pressure the Malaysian government to seek justice for Yong,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said that a memorandum asking the government to take up Yong’s case at International Court of Justice would be submitted to Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and the Prime Minister’s Department today.

“Yong was not given a fair trial. Therefore it is only fair for the Malaysian government to take up the matter at the International Court of Justice,” said Nurul.