By Khushwant Singh
THE Malaysian in the speedboat was trying to flee after
smuggling in seven illegal immigrants in March 2009, but he never
made it across alive.
Mr P. Ramlee Salam's small craft collided with one of the two
coast guard boats in pursuit and he sustained fatal head
injuries.
State Coroner Imran Hamid noted on Friday that the death of the
28-year-old highlighted the high risks human smugglers were willing
to take.
'Let this be a reminder and a deterrent to others intending to
commit similar offences,' he said. The coroner also agreed with the
findings of the independent investigator from the Maritime and Port
Authority. In his report, Captain Foong Yee Kuan said that the
immediate cause of the collision at about 2am on March 14, 2009,
was due to the speedboat making a sudden U-turn, leaving no time
for the coastguard vessel to avoid crashing into it.
The report also noted that there would have been no collision if
the smaller boat had obeyed orders to stop. Captain Foong further
found no evidence to suggest any negligence by officers on the
coast guard vessel.
Toxicology tests by the Health Sciences Authority also revealed
traces of morphine, methamphetamine and methadone in Mr P. Ramlee's
blood, which consultant pathologist Paul Chai noted could have
affected the boatman's mental state during the high-speed chase.
His former brother-in-law Khamis Mohammad, 49, was picked up from
the sea uninjured. Five days later on March 19, 2009, the survivor
pleaded guilty to immigration offences and was sentenced to 21/2
years in jail and 15 strokes of the cane.