CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR DRUG OFFENCES (Deterrent effects)

Mr Ho See Beng asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether capital punishment for certain drug offences has had the desired deterrent effect, and, if not, whether he will consider introducing amending legislation to make the law more effective.

The Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, since the enactment of the death penalty in 1975, 20 major drug traffickers have been arrested and prosecuted. Eighteen have been tried in Court and sentenced to death. Six of them were executed after they failed in their appeals to the Privy Council. With vigorous and sustained enforcement, the organised drug trafficking syndicates have been smashed. The deterrent effect of enforcement, convictions and executions is reflected in the declining number of major drug traffickers arrested for such offences after the introduction of the death penalty. In 1976, 11 major drug traffickers were arrested. The figure dropped to six in 1977, one in 1978 and one in 1979.

What is even more significant is that the pattern of trafficking has changed to ant trafficking. The ant traffickers smuggle very small amounts of drugs from Johore Bahru into Singapore. With strict enforcement action at our checkpoints, not much could get through. As a result the addicts are finding it difficult to get their supplies from the street pushers and they have to pay a high price for the drugs. This scarcity has resulted in an increase in the price of heroin at the street level from $35 per gram in 1977 to $333 per gram in the first half of this year.

For the foreseeable future, I have no intention of introducing amending legislation. There must, however, be no relaxation in enforcement so that distribution networks which have been smashed are not rebuilt or new ones created. This together with the deterrence of the death penalty will continue to keep the drug problem in Singapore under control.

Mr Ho See Beng (Khe Bong): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I ask the Minister whether there is any difference in the number of cases of capital punishment between 1979 and 1980.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Sir, to date, in 1980, we have not arrested any drug trafficker for an offence that entails the death penalty if he is prosecuted and convicted.

Mr Ho See Beng: Sir, I would like to know whether there has been any conviction of a drug trafficker that entails capital punishment in 1980.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: The answer is none.