Excellent article. Singaporeans have been executing people for years and nobody in Australia has raised a complaint. You can't stare at a pot hole for years and then drive into it and complain to council.
The ratbag element have only made things worse. When you start to insult and belittle the natural reaction is to dig ones heels in. They have only worked to resolve the stance of the Singaporean government.

Now - even feeble-minded blind Freedy can see that the orchestrated posturing of our erstwhile PM, viz Nguyen Van Truong - who goes to the gallows in less than 16 hours, is hollow and shows little compassion for his family and followers in their most distressing moments of profound grief.

That so little and so late, was propagated to save his life - speaks volumes.

For some years, we have been inundated with the notion from our Foreign Affairs Office and Custom's spokesperson, we were on the 'brink' of concluding an International Agreement with countries of SE Asia, wherein our National's would be exchanged through the Court process for like-minded criminals - to serve the remainder of their sentences, here in Ozzieland.

Fact or fiction - When, may I ask, are we to see the fruits of their ' hard-yakka 'while our Academic's, brain-dead journo's in the National tabloids, rant, rave and regurgiate endless scoops about 'corruption, inepitude, nepotism, 'Burmese Golden Triangle connections to the hierachy of Singapore's ruling Party, and generally adopt a 'holier-than-thou' attitude - yes, where are the Chris Ellison's, Philip Ruddock's, Alexander Downer's, Kevin Rudd's, Mick Kelty's, Sir James Deanne's conglomerates of 'pollies', media opportunist, carpet-baggers, snake-oil merchants and their camp-followers now ?

As the moments dwindle, has diplomacy failed ? The International High Court of Appeals, United Nations, the Vatican - where is our much vaunted ' clout' as we strut the World's stage, our illusional 'mateship'in World Affairs really getting us ? Where indeed -where it matters - that's where.

'Nero, fiddles whilst Rome burns ' Please note tomorrow the PM's Eleven take 'centre-stage'.Televised coast-to-coast. Optimum coverage mean-while-back-in-squaresville-zilch. Ho Hum, said Magoo before ' chundering'.

It maybe, we are not sincere enough. Have the 'intestinal fortitude' sufficiently to leave no stone unturned - to HASTEN their exchange ASAP come what may.

Now, wouldn't Santa make-my-day if ONLY.

Cheers.

Nguyen Van Truong, you shall be a Martyr for the abolition of capital punishment worldwide. Your situation has raised consciousness regarding the barbaric nature of this practice. Your life will be given, but more will live because of it.
You do not die without meaning.

Itchyvet - i can recommend an ointment for that rash - But who are these academics and social engineeers? how do they fiddle with our laws? give me a cuppla frinstances.

last time I looked it was politicians who made laws; where's the value in blaming other people for circumstances you do not like?

And mickjo seems edgy as well; drug use is a scourge;- but less than 3% of Australians have dabbelled in narcotics - but as those who are old enuff to remember the ads for Brylcream ( old fashioned hair goop) a little dab will do ya. But ruhuheeeeely booze gives rise to much social pain and unrest than narcotics ever will - So lets put the scourge of drugs in some perspective drug use and drug runnig is a headline crime there are plenty of worse things going on around us.

So us hypocrits can live comfortably with what might seem to some an internal contradiction - and life is full of them - that see us not want to kill people for drug running and mourn for the vicitms of drugs at the same time.

This man is a drug trafficker! He destroys lives and is a menace to society! Australians can mourn for this criminal all they want, but singaporeans want him to pay. It sends a message to future drug trafickers that this could be their fate. let him hang! If austrlians have a problem with that, they can stay the hell away from singapore.

Van Tuong Nguyen - August 17, 1980 – December 2, 2005