Most Singaporeans support death for drug traffickers, law minister Shanmugam says

He was delivering a ministerial statement in parliament on Singapore’s approach to drug control.

“There is broad support from our population because we have been upfront and open about the rationale, circumstances and safeguards on the use of the death penalty,” Shanmugam said.

Preliminary findings from a Home Affairs Ministry conducted last year showed that about 69 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the mandatory death penalty was an appropriate punishment for trafficking a significant amount of drugs.

This was up from 66 per cent recorded in 2021, Shanmugam said, adding that the ministry will publish a full report of the most recent survey later this year.

Nearly 77 per cent of survey respondents agreed that the death penalty should be used for the most serious crimes, such as murder and drug trafficking – up from almost 74 per cent two years back.

He also pointed to a National Council Against Drug Abuse survey last year, where almost 91 per cent of respondents expressed support for the country’s drug-free approach.

Eighty-seven per cent agreed that Singapore’s drug laws are effective in keeping the country relatively free of drugs.

Beyond Singapore, Shanmugam highlighted a 2021 study conducted in parts of the region where most of the country’s arrested drug traffickers have come from in recent years.

It showed that 87 per cent of respondents believed that the death penalty deters people from trafficking substantial amounts of drugs into Singapore.

A similar proportion – 86 per cent – believed that the death penalty makes people not want to commit serious crimes in Singapore.

Of the respondents, 83 per cent also believed the death penalty is more effective than life imprisonment, in discouraging people from