hypocritical or just?

I read with interest the articles on the hanging of Nguyen Tuong Van. I'm not very certain about the full details of this case so whatever I'm about to type does not hold any water, it's purely personal opinion. So read with discretion...

I'm just surprised at the uproar this case has generated. Singapore has always come under fire for the way our judicial system is run. Singaporeans old enough will remember the Michael Fay incident. Then the Filipino or Indonesian maid case. And then the Briton who was convicted too, I think he was hanged, I can't remember. And now this...

Personally, I don't think it's fair of them to have criticised us for the way this case was handled. Yes, they could try and intercede for him, but ultimately the decision was still ours to make. The debate on capital punishment has been a long-standing one and honestly, one that is just full of grey areas. Human rights activists will argue that it's inhumane, leftists will say it is the means to an end. Who is right?

Fact of the matter is, every action has a consequence. In this case, a crime has been committed, therefore a punishment must be meted out. Drug trafficking is no petty crime and it causes a ripple effect. The social implications for such an act are just too damaging and irreparable to be ignored. Capital punishment may be an extreme form of punishment but if it sends the message across, it should stay.

And if drug traffickers still want to risk it anyway, then I say, they have it coming.