You guys following the issue?
The writer has since clarified that he paid the fine upon knowing
the next best alternative -- $50 vs a trip to police station plus
stay in jail. Like they say, Singapore is a FINE city.
Updates from Today:
Handcuffs will leave a stigma for life
Treatment should be commensurate with severity of
offence
Tuesday November 15, 2005
Letter from Narayana Narayana
Letter from Jimmy Ho Kwok Hoong
Caught at the checkpoint with less
than a three-quarter full tank of petrol, reader Lawrence Seow Kuan
Yong (Nov 11) only agreed to pay the $50 composition fine for
first-time offenders after he was told that if he refused, he would
have to undergo the necessary procedures to be charged in court
such as being handcuffed and fingerprinted at the police
station.
Readers have since weighed in on the debate as to whether minor
offences warrant the handcuff treatment.
Mr Lionel de Souza pre-empts the official reply with his letter
"Fear cuffs? Obey rules" (Nov 14).
With due respect to his experience in the Police Force, he voices
what is probably the official view, and the law, that "regardless
of the severity of the offence, an accused person should be
handcuffed".
Although there have been rare cases of "an accused person who
escapes", his days of freedom can be limited at best.
Mr de Souza does not seem to feel much empathy for the common
people who view the "mata-mata" with a sense of dread, even if they
have done no wrong or have no cause to fear the police.
Any individual's hard-built reputation can be shattered if he or
she is led away by the police, even without the mandatory
handcuffs. Even a subsequent verdict of innocence is unlikely to
wipe away the stigma entirely.
I recall my similar experience with Singapore Customs more than 10
years ago. Then, the rule called for half a tank of petrol, which I
ran short of for the first time.
A customs officer led me to the administration office where I
waited for 45 minutes on a couch while my wife and children waited
in my car, wondering what was happening.
Two customs officers handling my case were chit-chatting instead of
working. When I finally lost my patience, I stood up and started
reading some papers pinned on a notice board but was told by one
officer to sit still and "behave" myself.
I count myself lucky that I had accepted to pay the $50 fine
outright.
The law seems to reflect that our system does not have the patience
and time to deal with petty offences committed, deliberately or
not, by ordinary Singaporeans.
It seems like anyone who is reluctant to accept a composition
penalty and wants to appeal may be strongly discouraged with the
prospect of being handcuffed and locked up.
Possibly, such measures exist to ensure that the police and the
courts are not unnecessarily bothered.
Mr de Souza's rationale that it is safer to handcuff everyone
accused of committing a minor offence "in case he is guilty of a
serious crime" is absurd.
The treatment an accused person receives must be commensurate with
the severity of the alleged offence.
We don't go around castrating all Singapore men just to prevent the
rise in rape cases!
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/84352print.asp
