S'POREAN TO HANG FOR SMUGGLING ECSTASY

He Is The First To Be Sentenced To Death In Malaysia For Trafficking In
Ecstasy Since The Dangerous Drugs Act Was Amended

PENANG - A 33-year-old Singaporean man yesterday became the first person to
be sentenced to death in Malaysia for trafficking in Ecstasy pills since
the Dangerous Drugs Act was amended in 1998.

Koh Tiong Hock was found guilty by a High Court of trafficking in 7,468
pills containing 801.7 g of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) at
Departure Gate Six of the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas here
on July 21, 2000.

Koh, who had remained expressionless throughout most of the trial, appeared
to be holding back tears as the interpreter explained to him in Mandarin
the court's finding.

Justice Mohamed Raus Sharif said the court had to convict Koh as he had
failed to raise any reasonable doubt on the prosecution's case against him.

'Drug trafficking is punishable with only one sentence, and that sentence
is death. You, Koh Tiong Hock, will be taken to prison and then to a place
where you will be hanged to death,' he said, adding that the Singaporean
had the right to appeal.

After the court adjourned, Koh smiled with appeared relief when he realised
he could file an appeal immediately before leaving the courtroom.

He was clad in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve white shirt that hid the
tattoos all over his back and arms.

He did not have any relatives or friends in Penang. His only family was a
sister and mother who is too ill to make the trip here.

In his submission earlier, court-appointed counsel T. Jegadeeson said a
videotape, which showed Koh with the packets of pills strapped to his body,
should not have been viewed by the court.

He said the videotape amounted to a confession, and the court should have
ordered a trial-within-a-trial to determine its admissibility before
allowing it to be screened.

In his judgment, the High Court Justice said he found Koh's defence
difficult to believe: 'I cannot accept his defence that two men had
forcefully strapped the eight packets of pills to his body to be taken to
New Zealand, and that he did not know the contents of the packets.'

Drug trafficking carries a mandatory death sentence upon conviction.