I am sure most of you have heard the dreaded news that Singapore is about to execute an intellectually disabled man next Wednesday for drug trafficking. Despite the many petitions being signed and protests from both Singaporeans and Malaysians, the Singapore government has decided to go ahead with the execution. It’s saddening to hear that the Singaporean government does not acknowledge Nageinthiran’s intellectual disability and that’s why they’re going ahead with the hanging.
The abolishment of the death penalty has long been a topic of debate around the globe. In my humble opinion and I’m sure many of you agree, the death penalty should not exist. It’s an inhuman way of treating offenders who have broken the law. It’s true that offenders need to be punished for their selfish and cruel acts. But using the death penalty as a means to prevent certain crimes is not the answer. Why reciprocate evil with yet another evil by taking away someone’s life? Is that not murder?
In my humble opinion, only God should have the right to take away one’s life. If a person breaks the law, let karma or whatever get back at him. Murdering him to make things right or as an act of revenge should not be the solution. I believe everyone deserves a second chance to repent and learn from their mistakes. Their crime may be heinous and selfish. Despite this, every criminal deserves a second chance at life. We must understand that no one is evil. It’s just the crimes they commit that are evil. No one is perfect. As a result of upbringing and many other circumstances, some individuals have unfortunately chosen the wrong way out but I believe as long as the person is alive, there is hope that he/she can change and make amends.
Another thing that I wish to raise is the glaring fact that Nageinthiran is intellectually disabled. The fact that the Singapore government doesn’t acknowledge this appals me. It shows that issues like mental health and disability are still not taken seriously by the authorities. We must understand that mental health and disability affect individuals just as severely as physical health and disability do, if not more. When a person is intellectually or mentally disabled, they can’t think rationally or make rational decisions. This affects their ability to live a life of quality and integrity.
So why is the Singapore government not acknowledging that? This goes to show that mental health and disability are still not taken seriously by society. Some of us fail to acknowledge that mental health is a disease, and hence it should be treated and given attention like any other physical illness or impairment. It looks like a lot of effort is still needed to raise awareness of mental health and disability. Come on, it’s already the 21st century. When are the stigma and negative opinions surrounding mental health going to change for the better?
We should all play a role in spreading mental health awareness. It seems we have a long way to go but there’s still hope. We can do this together! As for the death penalty, I hope those in authority will come to their senses about this. No one should be inflicted with such an inhumane punishment. Although they are undeniably in the wrong, criminals, like every one of us, deserve a second chance. We shouldn’t play God. Instead, we should reciprocate evil with compassion and faith in the goodness of humankind. Punish criminals by all means but do so appropriately without taking someone’s precious life. Now, let’s give our continuous support to Nageinthiran and his family. If you haven’t done so, you can still sign the petition at change.org. Although the chances of them overturning the verdict are slim, let’s do the best we can to support a fellow human being.
Random Rose is a content writer under Headliner by Newswav, a programme where content creators get to tell their unique stories through articles and at the same time monetize their content within the Newswav app.
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