this post was submitted on 20 Apr 2026
244 points (96.6% liked)

World News

56039 readers
1879 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 94 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (7 children)

FYI, The Straits Times is basically a step down from a state mouthpiece. If you don't believe me, just read the article:

The cannabis seized from Omar is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 144 abusers for a week.

Here's a Human Rights Watch article from five days ago not flagrantly trying to justify the state-sanctioned murder of a man convicted of an entirely harmless crime. Fuck TST for this journalistic swill.

[–] wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz 21 points 3 weeks ago

144 abusers for a week

By my calculations, that's about 18 ounces (144/8, assuming an eighth per person per week).

That's not that much, as far as international smuggling goes.

Still, it's a bullshit reason to execute someone over.

If you wanna smoke weed, Singapore isn't the place for you...

[–] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works 13 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah, I saw that and was like, holy fuck, that's fucked up. What a fucked up country.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] mrmaplebar@fedia.io 69 points 3 weeks ago (45 children)

Imagine killing a human being for possession of a harmless plant. It's wildly unjust.

load more comments (45 replies)
[–] lennybird@lemmy.world 52 points 3 weeks ago (11 children)

Singapore is such a fucked up place, yet righties love to act like it's some utopia.

load more comments (11 replies)
[–] caurvo@lemmy.blahaj.zone 43 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

William Gibson (author of Neuromancer among other things, not all of them good) published an article about Singapore 30 years ago. It's titled Disneyland with the Death Penalty.

33 years later and much of this is still very relevant. It has dated somewhat, but accurately reflects what I experienced in Singapore during work travel over the past few years.

At the least, if you're interested in what dystopian science fiction writers think about Singapore it certainly dropped some puzzles pieces into place for me.

load more comments (6 replies)
[–] paris@lemmy.blahaj.zone 41 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

Two pounds of weed btw. A man's life because he wanted to get high with friends at a party or something. It's illegal to import so it's not unlikely that he wanted to get a bunch and use it over the course of a year. Fucking insane. Also fuck this articles's loaded language and framing.

[–] MBech@feddit.dk 24 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Also very likely he was going to sell it.

I'm for legalising weed, but trying to import it to a country that is notorious for executing people for even small amounts is fucking moronic.

[–] SippyCup@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

144 people for about a week, per the article.

That's like 1500 dollars of weed. Hardly worth attempting to smuggle it unless it's for personal use for a good long while.

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Are you sure it's that cheap in Singapore if it's illegal there? A kilo is about 20 grand here in Estonia, has been for ages. When buying by the gram anyway, I don't know anyone who buys it by the kilo. Assume it would be a bit cheaper them. And we don't execute smugglers, it's just illegal.

I'd assume if they kill smugglers it'll be way more expensive in Singapore

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] apftwb@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

"Oh that? That's my personal consumption kilo. Reason for visit? Business."

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] apftwb@lemmy.world 36 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (6 children)

Singapore makes it extremely clear this is the punishment for smuggling any drugs.

This is what the paper disimberkment form used to look like before they switched to an electronic version. I think the electronic version says something similar.

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 28 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] faintwhenfree@lemmus.org 8 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

It probably is fucked up. But if you know the consequences of getting caught, why would you risk it? If freedom to do drugs is important either be in a jurisdiction that is lenient.

I mean you can try to change the laws and try to protest and get political change, but that wouldn't leave you much off in Singapore's authoritarian air.

So the question is, was the hit of recreational drug that important to take the risk?

I'm not saying what or what shouldn't be, I'm just saying knowing you know what IS, why would you? It's like you know lava is hot, but you step in it anyway because it should be a morally a volcanic rock.

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 34 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

The guy was an idiot. Doesn't change the fact that Singaporean authoritarianism is fucked up. Being an idiot shouldn't be a death sentence.

load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
[–] Psythik@lemmy.world 32 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (17 children)

The cannabis seized from Omar is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 144 abusers for a week.

What the hell is up with this bizarre line in the article? "Addiction"? "Abusers"? Is the the article writer fucking serious with this Reefer Madness shit? What a god damn clown.

[–] rwrwefwef@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 weeks ago

It's an Asian outlet. They never really had much sympathy for them.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Those hopeless addicts are consuming a bit over 3 grams of weed per week. Definite threat to society there.

And of course the guy being executed is not from the Chinese elite, he's a Singaporean Malay.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (15 replies)
[–] kablez@lemmy.world 29 points 3 weeks ago (8 children)

Singapore loves to pretend it's a modern country with it's gardens and fancy buildings.

But beneath the surface is an overworked population ruled by a family dictatorship.

[–] icelimit@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 weeks ago

It's china with a better passport. There is no freedom of press there.

load more comments (7 replies)
[–] ohulancutash@feddit.uk 23 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Disneyland with the death penalty.

[–] texture@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

thats just regular disneyland isnt it?

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] orioler25@lemmy.world 22 points 3 weeks ago (21 children)

And that's why I'll never move to Singapore.

load more comments (21 replies)
[–] Mangoholic@lemmy.ml 16 points 3 weeks ago

No matter how you spin it thats barbaric

[–] vantablack@lemmy.blahaj.zone 15 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] tias@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

I'm not in any way, shape or form defending the policy of Singapore, but... given that they do have a death penalty for this, why the hell did he carry 1 kg into the country? I've been to Singapore and I was afraid to even let go of my bags for a second, for fear that someone would plant something on me.

[–] john_t@piefed.ee 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

People must sign a paper on the plane acknowledging that import drugs carries the death penalty, even before landing.

The result shouldn't be surprising for anyone.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

well I'm sure he won't ever do that again!

surely he learned his lesson.

load more comments
view more: next ›