I find this unbelievable...

Today, I came across news that 2 Iranians were sentenced to death for attempting to distribute 473.5 grams of methamphetamine in Malaysia. My first reaction was good, since they deserved the death penalty for whatever they were doing in this country. Foreigners have been warned time and again not to carry drugs above a certain amount for that would constitute as attempts to distribute drugs, and if they were caught, they would be hanged. 

But what I find unbelievable was the judges statements after meting out the sentence ! A right thinking judge would reprimand the Iranians for doing what they did because their very act would endanger Malaysian youths into becoming drug addicts, or he ought to say something like they being sentenced would serve as a warning for others not smuggle and distribute drugs in the country.

But no, what he advised to the criminals, which to me, was tantamount to giving them ways to escape the gallows, by saying that they still had a couple of chances more. As a judge he ought to be satisfied  with his verdict and should be pleased that the verdict be carried out to its final conclusion. By saying what he said it's as though he wasn't sure of sentencing the 2 Iranians and hoped that his sentence be confirmed by the next levels of judiciary. He apparently had no confidence in meting out the death sentence.

For one, it's not his business to make suggestions. Let the defense lawyers do their work and if the defense did not take up the case to the next level, then it's tough luck for the 2 Iranians. And for another, personally, when I have made a decision, I abhor if someone higher up later on countermand my decision that make me look stupid.

The honorable judge ought to be charged with contempt of court !

Update 31/07/2012: Hurrah to the high court judge who made no bones about it when, after sentencing an Iranian found guilty of distributing metamphetamine to be hanged, stated that there was only one punishment and that is the death penalty by hanging. He made no other sympathetic statements.