96% of Singaporeans back the death penalty

The Sunday Times, Feb 12 2006

A survey done recently shows that majority of Singaporeans support the death penalty for heinous crimes. Personally, i feel that the death penalty is a suitable form of punishment for criminals who are so ruthless and evil and have commited unforgivable acts such as murder. These criminals have no compassion at all and are those who will never turn over a new leaf, such criminals deserve the death penalty. As for drug trafficking, i feel that the death penalty is a suitable punishment as it greatly deters crimes associated with drugs. With such a heavy penalty, one would really think twice before thinking of committing a drug related crime, and this helps in keeping Singapore drug free. However, i believe that some young teens who are caught drug trafficking are not really sure of what they are doing, some are either forced by gangsters to carry out their drug trades while others blindly engage in such activities, not knowing the seriousness of the crime. For such people, i think that the death penalty is too harsh on them, some of these teens are just being made use of to trade drugs and most of them do not really know that they were dealing with drugs. A lighter sentence on these people would seem more appropriate. For me, i think that for carrying out terrorist attacks, the criminal deserves the punishment of a death penalty as a terrorist attack is really serious. A terrorist attack affects not only one but many people and even many countries. It totally disrupts the lives of both people and country, and instils much fear among the people. Many deaths and unpleasant incidents have occured due to terrorist attacks, and it is one of the main threats that the world is trying to completely get rid of. Although the death penalty seems like the only working solution right now to detering others from committing the same crimes, i think that a life sentence is a more humane way of punishment. Being sentenced to life imprisonment is also a harsh form of punishment. The criminals are locked up for the rest of their lives with no hope of getting out, their freedom is gone and they are like living a meaningless life, just waiting for death to come. Though the death penalty is inhumane and harsh, i do belive that the cruelest and most ruthless of criminals derserve the death penalty as they are too dangerous to let live. To use the death penalty as a means to deter crime is acceptable to me, but in all honesty, i believe that only the worst of the worst kind of criminals derserve the death penalty.