S’wakian to hang Friday in S’pore for murder, NGO calls for clemency
KUCHING: Singapore has been urged to halt the execution of a Sarawakian who was convicted in 2015 of committing murder.
Lawyers for Liberty in a press statement yesterday said Michael Garing is scheduled to hang at Changi Prison this Friday (March 22) after his 2015 conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal in 2017.
In addition to halting the execution, the non-governmental organisation is also calling on the Singapore government to impose a moratorium on all executions and work towards abolishing the death penalty.
“Killing Michealonly entrenches the culture of violence, and will not make Singaporeans any safer in their daily lives.
“Michael’s family, who are from Kapit in Sarawak, has only been given eight days notice of the imminent execution. They
Killing Micheal only entrenches the culture of violence, and will not make Singaporeans any safer in their daily lives.
N Surendran, Lawyers for Liberty advisor
have been asked by letter to make the ‘ necessary funeral arrangements’,” said Lawyers for Liberty advisor N Surendran.
He said the ‘extremely short’ notice gave the family little time to spend with Michael in his final days and to make the necessary preparations.
Surendran added the convict was only 21 years old when he committed the crime and, while accepting that he had committed a serious crime and must face punishment, should be given an opportunity for rehabilitation like any young offender.
“By executing him, the state is answering his wrongdoing with an even greater wrong. Singapore gains nothing by carrying out this execution, except to strengthen the perception of indifference and callousness to human life,” he said, while pointing out that the death penalty has never been proven to be a deterrent to serious crime.
“Westrongly urge Her Excellency the President of Singapore ( Halimah Yacob) to exercise clemency and commute Michael’s sentence to life imprisonment. It is not too late to do so.”
According to news reports, Michael, now 30, was part of a gang that went on a slashing spree while robbing four persons – severely injuring three and killing a fourth man – in Kallang, Singapore in 2010.
The High Court in Singapore convicted him of murder in 2015 and sentenced him to death, while another suspect, Tony Imba, was sentenced to life in prison.