KUCHING, Nov 4 — The Sarawak government will not interfere in Kho Jabing’s murder case as the youth, who will be executed this Friday in Singapore, was not convicted of the crime in Malaysia, a senior state minister said.
The minister, Tan Sri Dr James Masing, acknowledged Jabing’s death sentence but said it was inappropriate for any Malaysian authority to interfere in the Singapore court system.
“Just (as) we do not want other countries to interfere in our justice system, we also do not want to interfere in the justice system of other countries,” the minister in charge of land development said.
“Let the law takes it course (sic),” he added, when reminded of the Friday deadline for Jabing.
Masing, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, also urged Sarawakians to respect and abide by the laws of the countries they currently work and reside in.
“Please do not break the laws of the countries where you work. If you do, you alone will face the consequences of your misbehaviours,” he said.
He said Jabing’s case should be taken as a lesson to others not to violate any law, regardless where they are.
Malay Mail Online reported yesterday Jabing’s sister Jumai as confirming that her brother will be executed this Friday in Singapore over the 2008 murder of 40-year old China national Cao Ruyen.
Jabing left Miri, Sarawak, in 2007 to look for a better-paying job as a labourer in Singapore so that he could help support his family.
One year later, the Sarawakian of Iban and Chinese ethnicity was arrested together with a friend for robbing and assaulting a labourer from China.
Jabing was accused of beating Cao Ruyin, 40, with a piece of wood, with the China national later succumbing to injuries.
According to Kirsten Han, the co-founder of We Believe in Second Chances, Jabing was convicted and sentenced to death under Section 300c of the Singapore Penal Code, which at the time, in 2010, required the mandatory death penalty.
However, amendments to the mandatory death penalty came into force in 2013 and Jabing was deemed eligible to apply for resentencing. The High Court resentenced him to life imprisonment plus 24 strokes of the cane.
But the prosecution appealed and last January,the Court of Appeal sentenced the Malaysian to death in a 3-2 decision.
Singapore President Tony Tan rejected Jabing’s appeal for clemency on October 19.
