PUBLISHED ONSeptember 19, 2024 7:15 AMByChing Shi JieMore than three-quarters of Singapore residents agree that the death penalty should be used for the most serious crimes, including trafficking a significant amount of drugs and murder, according to a 2023 survey by the Minister of Home Affairs (MHA).
This figure of 77.4 per cent is higher than the 73.7 per cent found by the ministry in 2021.
In a report released on Thursday (Sept 19), MHA said that they commissioned a survey in 2021 to understand Singapore residents' attitudes towards the death penalty.
And two years later, the ministry conducted the survey again - involving face-to-face interviews with 2,000 Singapore citizens and residents - to find out how their attitudes might have changed over time.
MHA said that the 2023 survey also found that a "significant proportion" of respondents agree that using the death penalty should be mandatory for the most serious crimes.
This includes trafficking a significant amount of drugs, discharging or attempting to discharge a firearm with intent to cause physical injury, and intentional murder.
In particular, 68.7 per cent indicated that they "strongly agreed or agreed" that the mandatory death penalty was appropriate as the punishment for trafficking a significant amount of drugs.
This is a 3.1 per cent increase from 65.6 per cent in the 2021 survey, added MHA.
The 2023 survey by MHA also found a "statistically significant increase in the proportion" of Singapore residents who strongly agree that the the mandatory death penalty was a greater deterrent than the discretionary death penalty for the most serious crimes.
The figure in 2023, at 82.3 per cent for drug trafficking, is higher than the 74.9 per cent in 2021.
As for firearm offences and murder, the figures at 85.8 and 87.7 per cent, have risen from 77.9 per cent and 78.4 per cent respectively.
Speaking in Parliament in May, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said the high levels of support towards capital punishment were due to Singaporeans' trust in the government to do the right thing.
"We have been upfront and open about the rationale, circumstances and safeguards on the use of the death penalty," said Shanmugam, while delivering a ministerial statement on Singapore's approach to drug control.
"It is not easy for us ... to decide to have capital punishment as part of the penalties in law. But the evidence shows that it is necessary to protect our people, prevent the destruction of thousands of families, and prevent the loss of thousands of lives."
chingshijie@asiaone.com
