Singapore minister for Law and Home Affairs K. Shanmugam shared his thoughts on the recent mass shooting at a Thai childcare centre where a former police officer killed at least 38 people.
He used the massacre as an example of why Singapore is maintaining a tough stance on the consumption of drugs and trafficking.
Shanmugam’s statement on Facebook
[Horrific massacre of innocent children in Thailand, and drugs]
In just one day, 38 death sentences were carried out on innocent lives – children as young as two years old and a teacher who was eight months pregnant, among others.
Panya Kamrab went and shot these children.
This former policeman was facing a methamphetamine (“ice”) drug charge when he carried out the attack.
The silence, of narco liberals and apologists for drug traffickers, is deafening. Some are probably hoping that the link between drugs and the violence will be overlooked.
And as far as I know, these activists have not held any candle light vigil for the children who have been massacred.
Bloomberg reports that the Thai Prime Minister has ordered a clampdown on drugs, in the wake of this mass shooting. He has now made drug suppression an urgent item and had ordered police to crack down on illicit substances to restore public confidence. The report noted that the Police would conduct random drug searches, arrest offenders, and bring in users for rehabilitation. These steps are being taken 3 months after Thailand decriminalised cannabis, making it widely available. I wonder how these measures will work, given the wide availability of drugs. At least one death penalty activist was celebrating Thailand’s move, with the implied suggestion that we were wrong in our policies. At that time we were asked if we would follow Thailand’s example. I said no.
And just last month, an attack in Canada left 10 dead and 18 injured. One of the perpetrators had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, and associations with gang members and drug dealers.
I cannot emphasise this enough – there are good reasons why Singapore maintains a tough stance towards drug consumption and trafficking.
