Death Penalty For Marijuana In Malaysia

[Shai Gar]

Therewas that british guy executed a few days back for drug smuggling in China. What do you think of that!

Yeah, whenever I go overseas I show everyone how British I am by selling heroin out of my turban too.

 

[arbygil]

Why are you all shocked? Malaysia is an openly Islamic country...

If people in their country REALLY wanted to change it, they'd change the laws. The guy knew the law, and didn't bother to ask his mate what he was delivering.

Malaysia has a westministerial type democracy. If someone wants to change a law, the Ballot is the place to do it, not a courtroom after you've been caught and found guilty of a crime.

That's a good point. "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime" I guess. It definitely is important to know the rules of another country. 'Course, we do things that horrify other countries as well, but we don't bat an eye at it.

 

[bamf]

That's a good point. "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime" I guess. It definitely is important to know the rules of another country. 'Course, we do things that horrify other countries as well, but we don't bat an eye at it.

While I agree that if you can't accept your punishment, don't do the actions, I feel that many people are just using that as an excuse to shrug their shoulders at the questionable things going on here.

I feel as if people are trying to validate the execution of a man who (knowingly or unknowingly) broke a law. Yeah, that's their law, but because it's a law, it's okay?

That's what I'm having trouble with. No, I'm not advocating people getting up in arms around the world to challenge Malaysia's laws, but this is obviously ridiculous. By saying "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime", I feel as if we're poo-pooing the real issue here. That issue being that people are legally executed for a crime that nowhere near matches the punishment. It's injustice.

I agree, don't do the crime if you're going to bitch and moan about what happens when you get caught, but shouldn't the punishment reflect the graveness of the crime? Should simply getting caught with a non-lethal substance be punished by death? He is charged with intent to deliver. He wasn't caught dealing, he wasn't caught running dope for a crime syndicate; he was caught with pot, and (from what is presented here) the police speculate that his intent was to distribute. 622 grams is about a pound and a quarter. I don't know about anyone else on here who's been around drugs in the past, but a pound and a quarter of pot really isn't that much. Especially not enough to be hanged for.

The guy was stupid, yes. However, stupidity =/= justified death. Neither do stupid laws. Regardless of his stupidity, this is tragic.

 

[myself]

What is the best action to take?

Should I send letters to Obama? To Malaysia?

What is there to be done?

hmm

 

[Shai Gar]

You can't and shouldn't do anything other than encourage the Malaysian people to use their legal right to vote to change the laws. You know, if they want to, since they're a muslim nation and no muslim nation allows alcohol or cannabis.

Oh wait, you can. You can petition Obama to lead the world in freedoms as far as Marijuana is concerned. To change USA Laws to allow cannabis growth, distribution and usage. That way the US can act as inspiration rather than a bully.

 

[arbygil]

Actually, both ideas are valid. Yes, the person shouldn't have been transporting MJ. But now that he has, is it just to hang him? No - and it probably would be a good idea to hold a protest regarding it. Our ambassadors can do a few things. But unfortunately because pot is illegal in the US, it would be hard to garner protest support outside of NORML and other such groups.

But then you have to find a cause that is near and dear to your heart to protest. Me, I *should* be protesting the rape and genital mutilation of girls in Rwanda and the Congo but I'm not out there, and that is my own shame. I keep thinking, "I should send money to that protest group" but I never do.

The shame probably is that we don't do anything about such things, until they personally affect us.

 

[Reon]

So yeah, this guy should have known the law in his country, and yes he acted stupidly knowing the law, but I fail to see how that makes this any less of a tragedy. I get the feeling that people think that because a law is known, anyone who breaks the law gets what's coming to them.

Regardless of the stupidity of the guy, it's a ridiculous law, and has ridiculous consequences. I still feel horrible for him, even if he brought this upon himself, because it's a horribly unfair law.

In other news, I find it funny that people say pot doesn't kill; it most obviously does. This guy is proof.

I disagree, he intended to break a law that he knew was in place and lost his life for it. I guess objectively the difference doesn't matter; being shot on the spot for no reason that you know of or being executed for breaking a law. I feel the former is worse, though. If the laws are just, I don't see any problem with the mentality that "You break a law, you get what's coming to you" but, as you can see, every nation has a few issues with getting 'justice'

 

[Solongo]

I disagree, he intended to break a law that he knew was in place and lost his life for it. I guess objectively the difference doesn't matter; being shot on the spot for no reason that you know of or being executed for breaking a law. I feel the former is worse, though. If the laws are just, I don't see any problem with the mentality that "You break a law, you get what's coming to you" but, as you can see, every nation has a few issues with getting 'justice'

Your T'ness Reon never ceases to amaze me.

 

[bamf]

I disagree, he intended to break a law that he knew was in place and lost his life for it. I guess objectively the difference doesn't matter; being shot on the spot for no reason that you know of or being executed for breaking a law. I feel the former is worse, though. If the laws are just, I don't see any problem with the mentality that "You break a law, you get what's coming to you" but, as you can see, every nation has a few issues with getting 'justice'

I agree, if the laws are just. The problem is, the crime in this case hardly is equal to the punishment. That's where I draw the line, and that's where I see people poo-pooing the issue.

Yeah, he broke the law. And yes, I agree that if you break the law, there should be punishment. And yes, I agree that if you break the law you should accept the punishment. I'm not arguing any of that.

What I'm arguing is the extent that this man is being punished. 622 grams of pot is barely anything. That weighs less than a loaf of bread. I could smoke that much pot, by myself, in a matter of a couple of weeks (if not less). Regardless if people think pot should be legal/unlegal, this little amount of pot hardly justifies being hanged.

That's my problem with people saying you have to take the punishments for breaking the law.

What if the man was being hanged for having homosexual intercourse? Perhaps some people would be changing their tune? (Keep in mind, not being hanged for being gay, rather the choice of having homosexual sex).

 

[Shai Gar]

Those are the laws that nation chose. They're a democracy. If they find their own laws repugnant they can change them with their government.

 

[bamf]

Those are the laws that nation chose. They're a democracy. If they find their own laws repugnant they can change them with their government.

Just because it's the law, doesn't make it any less tragic.

 

[Shai Gar]

It was never tragic to begin with.

 

[Reon]

Your T'ness Reon never ceases to amaze me.

It's more F lol. A true T would have said it doesn't matter, they both have the same outcome while I stated one would be worse so.....F +1

mf: I'm not sure if the homosexuality argument is really similar to this one, but I guess that depends on your view of what homosexuality is, but I get what your saying.

 

[perpetual_liar]

I really don't know who to agree with. Everyone has valid points, but unfortunately, they all contradict each other.

What I'd be thinking though, is how our own countries would react to such a thing. If someone in your society was hanged for handling a rather small amount of drugs, and weed at that, what would happen?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not implying that any type of drug is acceptable just because it's a small amount, I'm just providing food for thought.

 

[ziltoid]

The only valid point is that prohibition doesn't work, even when the most egregious penalties exist. His lawyer may have claimed that he was just doing an errand but trafficking exists in Malaysia regardless. Remember the 1930s alcohol prohibition, which was quickly reversed.

The only difference is that cannabis is taking a long time.

End prohibition! (of all drugs)

 

[Satya]

Just a little something for people to chew on.

Singapore banned chewing gum in 1992.

Under pressure, it revised the law in 2004 to allow chewing gum to be used for medicinal purposes. Some gum can now be sold by pharmacists and doctors, provided they keep records of who it is sold to and why.

These Southeast Asian countries operate under an entirely different set of assumptions. Namely because they are centers of trade. The entire economic and social stricture is based on the government's control of the import and export of goods. At least that is how I understand it.

 

[Crow]

Amazing.
There are people here that are of the opinion:
"Just because it's the law..."

What is it about the word law you don't understand?
Law means you will obey it. Or else.
In this case, if you don't, goodbye.

That's an effective way of keeping a country a country, as opposed to - say - a chaotic seething mass of degeneracy like most western countries have become.

Instead of whining and interesting yourselves in something far, far beyond your horizon, you might try asking yourselves why it is that you imagine you are right and they are wrong. And who are you anyway?

To all of us, here, death penalties for such things are very extreme.
But we are here, and that was there, and if you have ever been anywhere else, you may have noticed that not everyone on earth is exactly like you.

That is exactly why leftist notions of "hey man, just love everyone and smoke dope" is one day going to result in our deaths. As one clairvoyant poster observed: pot really is dangerous. It can kill you!

Appreciate being able to smoke dope without being executed, while you can. The freedom to do so will not last indefinitely.

 

[myself]

Amazing.
There are people here that are of the opinion:
"Just because it's the law..."

What is it about the word law you don't understand?
Law means you will obey it. Or else.
In this case, if you don't, goodbye.

That's an effective way of keeping a country a country, as opposed to - say - a chaotic seething mass of degeneracy like most western countries have become.

Instead of whining and interesting yourselves in something far, far beyond your horizon, you might try asking yourselves why it is that you imagine you are right and they are wrong. And who are you anyway?

To all of us, here, death penalties for such things are very extreme.
But we are here, and that was there, and if you have ever been anywhere else, you may have noticed that not everyone on earth is exactly like you.

That is exactly why leftist notions of "hey man, just love everyone and smoke dope" is one day going to result in our deaths. As one clairvoyant poster observed: pot really is dangerous. It can kill you!

Appreciate being able to smoke dope without being executed, while you can. The freedom to do so will not last indefinitely.

is this a joke or what?

 

[Skoffin]

Whether it was or not I agree with it.
In any case, is weed really worth risking your life over?

 

[Flavus Aquila]

I thought the U.S. was barbaric and inhumane with its insane drug laws, this man is about to be murdered openly and legally .

A 25-year-old man wept openly in Malaysian High Court court this morning when the judge sentenced him to death for marijuana.

Shahrul Izani Suparman was convicted of possessing 622 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver, reports Azreen Hani of The Malay Mail. Shahrul was 19 years old when he was arrested on Sept. 25, 2003.


According to police, Shahrul tried to get away from them on foot when he was ordered to stop while riding his motorcycle in Klang, Malaysia. Authorities said Shahrul had made a U-turn, and was riding without his lights on.


The marijuana, packed in two separate newspaper wrappings, was found in the motorcycle's basket. Shahrul was charged under Malaysia's Dangerous Drugs Act of 1952, which upon conviction carries a death sentence by hanging.



Malaysia, along with Vietnam, Indonesia, China and several other Asian countries, has some of the harshest drug laws on Earth. Mere possession of more than 200 grams carries a mandatory death penalty by hanging in Malaysia.

Shahrul had spent the last six years in prison while battling the charges.


His lawyer, Suzanawati Ismail, asked the court to spare his client's life, as this was the accused's first offense. The lawyer said his client was only trying to escape the police since he knew he was guilty for riding the motorcycle without the lights on, and was unaware of the cannabis he was carrying, as he "was only helping his friend deliver" it.


Shahrul admitted his friend paid him for making deliveries on two separate occasions, but denied any knowledge of the contents of the packages he was asked to carry.


The judge, Datuk Mohd Zaki Yasin, was unmoved and sentenced Shahrul to death. The defendant has until Jan. 11 to appeal the court's decision, according to The Malay Mail.

http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2009/12/death_penalty_for_marijuana_in_malaysia.php

My intention is NOT to sound intollerant or biggoted - but Malaysia is a muslim country. It is to be expected that the enforcement of law will be harsh, for Islam in general seems as a moral system to be highly intollerant of moral vices.

Without agreeing with this particular law, it is impossible to argue that a country should not promulgate whatsoever laws as they see fit for the functioning, defense, or cohesion of their state. Similarly, the state has the right to establish punishments or penalties for infringements of the law.

If the laws and penalties are not agreeable to the people of a country there seems to be the following reasonable responses:

* Keep the laws begrudgingly.
* Seek to have the laws changed by legal means.
* Move to another jurisdiction with different laws.

I think the young man who was carrying marijuana should have moved to Amsterdam long ago.