Crime: Let's all observe a minutes silence for a convicted heroin smuggler

On Friday at dawn, a young Australian man, Nguyen Tuong Van, is to be hanged in Singapore. He was convicted after being caught with almost 400 grams of heroin at Changi Airport in December 2002. That's enough heroin for 22,000 hits.

The media here has hyped up sympathy for this "poor young man" to a degree that even by Australian media standards, would be deemed ludicrous by anyone else.

In a move that almost defies belief,. politicians have called for - wait for it - all Australians to observe a minutes silence at the time of the hanging. In addition, they want the Prime Minister to abandon a long planned trip to a cricket match - as a mark of respect. Churches will be open for special prayers - something they don't do for the kids lying in the gutter.

I am against the death penalty, but there is not one Australian who does not know the consequences of being found with drugs in Asia. Just because he is Australian, does not mean he should be exempt from the laws of any country outside Australia. We don't like other nations telling us what to do and the same concept should apply in reverse.

This is not a case where there is any doubt of guilt or any question or suspicion of a "fit up". He knew what he was doing and was aware of the consequences.

Quite frankly, at dawn Singapore time, I will be bloody cheering, at least this whole bloody hypocritical farce will be over and we may be able to have some real news - not demands for sympathy for a convicted heroin smuggler.