Set to start life anew, put past behind him
BEH Chew Boo, 38, who has been given a second chance at life, wants to put the past behind him and start life anew. The Penangite, who escaped the gallows when he was acquitted by a Singapore court recently on all five charges of bringing drugs into the republic, said he felt relieved to be back home after being in prison for more than four years.
Chew Boo touched down at the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas at 9.25am yesterday. Upon arrival, he underwent a Covid-19 swab test.
His father, Beh Ah Ba, 72, and sister, Beh Siew Yee, were eagerly waiting for him at the arrival hall. They managed to pass to Chew Boo a Malaysian SIM card and had a brief conversation with him before he was taken away for mandatory quarantine.
“I can’t seem to find the right words to describe my feelings now. I have been feeling numb because I have been overwhelmed by so many things happening over the past 10 days.
“It all felt so unreal. Since my arrest in 2016, I have slowly let go of all hopes for the future. Now that I am finally back to where I belong, I feel like a newborn because everything to me is new and unfamiliar.
“For now, I want to spend some time getting to know my teenage daughter better and be with my family. I want to be a good father to her and a good son and brother to my parents and siblings,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
“I don’t know what to expect, now that I am back in the real world. I need some time to adjust.”
He said his only regret was to leave his friends in Singapore, who have supported him all these months.
“I am thankful and grateful to my lawyer, Wong Siew Hong, who believed in me, fought for me and now, is like family to me. I owe my life to him.”
Chew Boo said he was aware that his family, especially his father, was concerned about what people would say about him and his release from prison.
“I am determined to tell everyone that I am innocent and that the apex court of Singapore had acquitted me. I want to share my story with everyone as a lesson to be cautious.”
His father said he would try to put the past behind him.
“The important thing is that my son is back with me after going through the ordeal.
“I am extremely grateful and thankful to the Singapore judiciary and prison system. While my son was in prison, I could still exchange words with him for 30 minutes every month. During the recent Chinese New Year celebration, my son was allowed to take a three-day break.”
Siew Yee said her brother’s release was the best news ever for the family, and that everyone was excited to meet him after the quarantine.
“We are all happy because we know that it is not easy for one to escape the gallows in Singapore.
“Our only hope is to be reunited again as a family.”
When contacted, Wong said he would continue to assure Chew Boo and Ah Ba to stand tall and tell their detractors that Chew Boo was innocent.
“They told me that people in their town are still in disbelief about Chew Boo’s acquittal. Some passed very hurtful remarks.
“I told the senior Beh that there will always be people who want to put you down. I told the family that life must go on.”
“The trip to the airport (this morning) was metaphoric. I picked him up in darkness. He left me to cross Customs as the sun was rising. New day. New life.”
Chew Boo made headlines when he escaped the noose in October after a three-judge panel of the Singapore Court of Appeal accepted his appeal. The panel made a 2-1 decision in his favour.