Why didn’t my brother get second chance like tycoon’s son, asks sibling
Former attorney-general Tommy Thomas says he reduced a drugs charge against Vincent Tan’s son following written representations by his lawyers.
KUALA LUMPUR: When Khai (not his real name) read that former attorney-general (AG) Tommy Thomas had reduced the drug possession charge against the son of tycoon Vincent Tan, he felt a bit frustrated.
While he understands the attorney-general has the prerogative to do so, Khai cannot help but ask why his brother, who is still in his early 30s, was not given the same second chance at life.
His brother Jay (not his real name) is serving life imprisonment. He had been arrested with 1kg of cannabis when he was just 25.
Like the tycoon’s son, Jay was charged under Section 39(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. But while the charge against Tan’s son was reduced, Jay was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death.
His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.
“I’m not questioning his (AG’s) authority. But I’m thinking about my brother. Why can’t he be treated like that person (tycoon’s son)?
“He’s still young. He had a bright future ahead of him. He had no criminal record before his arrest,” Khai told FMT.
Last week, Thomas denied allegations that he had acted in a corrupt manner in reducing the charge against Tan’s son, who was arrested for drug offences when Thomas was in office.
Thomas said that in this matter, lawyers for the accused had submitted written representations to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to reconsider the decision to charge him.
“Having studied the representations and the investigation papers, reviewing the relevant provisions and after discussion with the case officers, I recall reducing the charges,” he said.
Khai said his family, through their lawyer, had submitted three written representations to Thomas’ predecessors to request withdrawing charges but to no avail.
The family had also written to the Selangor palace, seeking a royal pardon for Jay.
“Every time we meet, he would remind me to write a letter to the palace to ask for a royal pardon. I hope one day the sultan will consider our appeal,” he said.
KUALA LUMPUR: When Khai (not his real name) read that former attorney-general (AG) Tommy Thomas had reduced the drug possession charge against the son of tycoon Vincent Tan, he felt a bit frustrated.
While he understands the attorney-general has the prerogative to do so, Khai cannot help but ask why his brother, who is still in his early 30s, was not given the same second chance at life.
His brother Jay (not his real name) is serving life imprisonment. He had been arrested with 1kg of cannabis when he was just 25.
Like the tycoon’s son, Jay was charged under Section 39(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. But while the charge against Tan’s son was reduced, Jay was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death.
His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.
“I’m not questioning his (AG’s) authority. But I’m thinking about my brother. Why can’t he be treated like that person (tycoon’s son)?
“He’s still young. He had a bright future ahead of him. He had no criminal record before his arrest,” Khai told FMT.
Last week, Thomas denied allegations that he had acted in a corrupt manner in reducing the charge against Tan’s son, who was arrested for drug offences when Thomas was in office.
Thomas said that in this matter, lawyers for the accused had submitted written representations to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to reconsider the decision to charge him.
“Having studied the representations and the investigation papers, reviewing the relevant provisions and after discussion with the case officers, I recall reducing the charges,” he said.
Khai said his family, through their lawyer, had submitted three written representations to Thomas’ predecessors to request withdrawing charges but to no avail.
The family had also written to the Selangor palace, seeking a royal pardon for Jay.
“Every time we meet, he would remind me to write a letter to the palace to ask for a royal pardon. I hope one day the sultan will consider our appeal,” he said.
haiya, ayo what a shame, why didn't the writer put his real name on the article, what is he afraid of, now people gonna think its a mischievous made up story
ReplyDeleteOr the fireman killed in Subang Jaya....is it he's just a fireman
ReplyDelete