QUOTE
Singapore rejects Nguyen clemency appeal
The Australian Government's pleas for Singaporean authorities to spare the life of convicted drug trafficker Van Nguyen from Melbourne have suffered yet another set back.
Last month, Van Nguyen's appeal for clemency was rejected and he is expected to be hanged in about a month.
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer wrote to his Singaporean counterpart last week asking for him to reconsider the death sentence.
Mr Downer argued the Australian man may be a crucial witness in future prosecutions of drug traffickers.
He says that could mean Nguyen will be hanged within six weeks.
"Last night I received a letter back from [Trade Minister] George Yeo saying that whilst the Singapore Government understood the concern of the Australian Government and the Australian people, all of these arguments had been carefully considered by the Singapore Cabinet and that they wouldn't change their minds," he said.
Nguyen's lawyer Lex Lasry QC says there is still hope.
"We have put a document to the Singapore High Commissioner on Monday, the document that I presented to him from Julian McMahon and myself, and that hasn't yet been responded to, and there is still one other aspect in relation to his police assistance that might be able to be pursued," he said.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says he will not give up the fight to save Nguyen's life.
"My attitude has always been, where there is life, there is hope, and we intend to keep going on this matter," he said.
"We don't intend to let this matter drop, we think we've got a responsibility to put this matter directly in front of the Singaporean Government and people."
The Australian Government's pleas for Singaporean authorities to spare the life of convicted drug trafficker Van Nguyen from Melbourne have suffered yet another set back.
Last month, Van Nguyen's appeal for clemency was rejected and he is expected to be hanged in about a month.
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer wrote to his Singaporean counterpart last week asking for him to reconsider the death sentence.
Mr Downer argued the Australian man may be a crucial witness in future prosecutions of drug traffickers.
He says that could mean Nguyen will be hanged within six weeks.
"Last night I received a letter back from [Trade Minister] George Yeo saying that whilst the Singapore Government understood the concern of the Australian Government and the Australian people, all of these arguments had been carefully considered by the Singapore Cabinet and that they wouldn't change their minds," he said.
Nguyen's lawyer Lex Lasry QC says there is still hope.
"We have put a document to the Singapore High Commissioner on Monday, the document that I presented to him from Julian McMahon and myself, and that hasn't yet been responded to, and there is still one other aspect in relation to his police assistance that might be able to be pursued," he said.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says he will not give up the fight to save Nguyen's life.
"My attitude has always been, where there is life, there is hope, and we intend to keep going on this matter," he said.
"We don't intend to let this matter drop, we think we've got a responsibility to put this matter directly in front of the Singaporean Government and people."
Australians hang your heads in shame.
Where is the media frenzy for this man? Just because he looks Asian does that mean he is somehow a lesser Australian than wide-eyed crybaby Schapelle Corby? Where's the demands to take aid money back from Singapore?
It reeks of racism. Somehow we Australians still believe we're living in the good old British empire and can lord over these Asian savages. Guess what? Our economy is a fraction of theirs and our governments answer to them.
