Malaysia: Tyre Shop Assistant To Hang For Trafficking Cannabis

September 2 2009

Press Release: No Embargo

Outrage at Death Penalty for Cannabis

Today members of the UK campaigning group The Legalise Cannabis
Alliance (LCA) expressed outrage on reading that the sentence of death
by hanging has been given on a 24-year-old man for just over half a
kilo of the plant.

<http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=437542>

Alun Buffry, a spokesperson for the Alliance, said "Today I read
about a self-confessed supplier to be hung for about 650 grams of
cannabis.

"Lim Kok Yong, 24, is to be hung by the neck in agony until he dies,
for just 626 grams of cannabis plant material.

"Cannabis is a plant that grows both wild and cultivated around the
world, and the very vast majority of the half a billion users (as
estimated by World Health Organisation) claim to benefit from it.

"The plant has many uses - as well as easing the symptoms of some
dreadful ailments - it can be used to produce environmentally safe
fuels, foods, fibre for building materials, papers and clothing, and
oil for lubrication and light.

"In this the 21st century, it is indeed sad to read that Malaysia, a
developed country of world-wide importance, still adopts such an
unjust sentencing policy, whilst countries like Portugal, Argentine
and Mexico have recently decriminalised cannabis possession, and for
over 30 years The Netherlands have operated a highly successful system
of allowing "Coffeeshop" to sell cannabis in limited amounts to
adults, and patients can get the plant through their doctors.

"I urge the Malaysian Government to step in and save this man's
life."

The LCA are urging people to write to the newspaper editor and also
Malaysian Embassies around the world.

"PLEASE send a comment to the Editor expressing your outrage - mark
the subject Letter to the Editor and quote the headline(above) and
date (Sept 2nd)

and send your email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it <mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >

"This is a start - just imagine if they get thousands of letters of
outrage - they would be bound to print an article - then maybe we can
target our outrage at the Government and Embassies of Malaysia - this
can save lives"

Notes for Editors;

The Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) PO Box 2883, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4
9EE