editorial comment We,, given Singapore laws, would you return????

A warrant of arrest has been issued for a suspect in the high profile cocaine bust after he failed to turn up in court yesterday.
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In a fax tendered through his lawyer, Sri Lankan Jeremy Mahen Chanmugam, 40, said he was unable to attend the hearing due to his "unstable medical condition".
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"The events leading up to this hearing have deeply traumatised me, leaving me in a state of physical and mental collapse and in no fit state to attend court," he wrote.
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Chanmugam, who is the director of media communications firm, MCN Creative Associates, said the "constant media attention" and "the severity" of investigations have been "disproportionate" to his charge of possessing "0.56gm of vegetable matter with traces of cannabis".
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The Sri Lankan's lawyer, Mr Subhas Anandan, said his client's Belgian wife has tried to persuade her husband to return to Singapore but he remained "non-committal" about his return.
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The lawyer thanked the court for showing "compassion" to his client and apologised for Chanmugam's no show.
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Outside the court, Mr Subhas told reporters: "I think this court had showed a lot of compassion to my client by allowing him to leave because the medical reports showed that he was a sick man and he was going to seek treatment. It is a very compassionate gesture by the court.
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"Of course my client betrayed the trust but I mean you can't blame the court or anybody else for that. As I said before, there'll always be people who jump bail. You can't stop that."
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Chanmugam, who held an art exhibition in October, was allowed to leave Singapore for an Australian specialist clinic for two weeks last month to treat his severe depression and loss of appetite.
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But when the Australian High Commission here said it would not issue a visa due to his pending court case, Chanmugam left for Colombo.
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He bought a one-way ticket to Colombo, flying via Bangkok, the deputy public prosecutor said.
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Yesterday, District Judge F G Remedios forfeited the $25,000 bail and fixed a review of the warrant of arrest next month.
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Chanmugam's bailor has to explain why the bail should not be forfeited in the hearing.
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When asked about the chances of his client returning, Mr Subhas said: "I think if he is not going to be in court today, the chances are, he is not going to be in court any other day." 'Deeply traumatised' director of media firm faces arrest

Wong Fei Wan
feiwan@newstoday.com.sg

A WARRANT of arrest has been issued for a suspect in the high profile cocaine bust after he failed to turn up in court yesterday.
.
In a fax tendered through his lawyer, Sri Lankan Jeremy Mahen Chanmugam, 40, said he was unable to attend the hearing due to his "unstable medical condition".
.
"The events leading up to this hearing have deeply traumatised me, leaving me in a state of physical and mental collapse and in no fit state to attend court," he wrote.
.
Chanmugam, who is the director of media communications firm, MCN Creative Associates, said the "constant media attention" and "the severity" of investigations have been "disproportionate" to his charge of possessing "0.56gm of vegetable matter with traces of cannabis".
.
The Sri Lankan's lawyer, Mr Subhas Anandan, said his client's Belgian wife has tried to persuade her husband to return to Singapore but he remained "non-committal" about his return.
.
The lawyer thanked the court for showing "compassion" to his client and apologised for Chanmugam's no show.
.
Outside the court, Mr Subhas told reporters: "I think this court had showed a lot of compassion to my client by allowing him to leave because the medical reports showed that he was a sick man and he was going to seek treatment. It is a very compassionate gesture by the court.
.
"Of course my client betrayed the trust but I mean you can't blame the court or anybody else for that. As I said before, there'll always be people who jump bail. You can't stop that."
.
Chanmugam, who held an art exhibition in October, was allowed to leave Singapore for an Australian specialist clinic for two weeks last month to treat his severe depression and loss of appetite.
.
But when the Australian High Commission here said it would not issue a visa due to his pending court case, Chanmugam left for Colombo.
.
He bought a one-way ticket to Colombo, flying via Bangkok, the deputy public prosecutor said.
.
Yesterday, District Judge F G Remedios forfeited the $25,000 bail and fixed a review of the warrant of arrest next month.
.
Chanmugam's bailor has to explain why the bail should not be forfeited in the hearing.
.
When asked about the chances of his client returning, Mr Subhas said: "I think if he is not going to be in court today, the chances are, he is not going to be in court any other day." 'Deeply traumatised' director of media firm faces arrest

Wong Fei Wan
feiwan@newstoday.com.sg

A WARRANT of arrest has been issued for a suspect in the high profile cocaine bust after he failed to turn up in court yesterday.
.
In a fax tendered through his lawyer, Sri Lankan Jeremy Mahen Chanmugam, 40, said he was unable to attend the hearing due to his "unstable medical condition".
.
"The events leading up to this hearing have deeply traumatised me, leaving me in a state of physical and mental collapse and in no fit state to attend court," he wrote.
.
Chanmugam, who is the director of media communications firm, MCN Creative Associates, said the "constant media attention" and "the severity" of investigations have been "disproportionate" to his charge of possessing "0.56gm of vegetable matter with traces of cannabis".
.
The Sri Lankan's lawyer, Mr Subhas Anandan, said his client's Belgian wife has tried to persuade her husband to return to Singapore but he remained "non-committal" about his return.
.
The lawyer thanked the court for showing "compassion" to his client and apologised for Chanmugam's no show.
.
Outside the court, Mr Subhas told reporters: "I think this court had showed a lot of compassion to my client by allowing him to leave because the medical reports showed that he was a sick man and he was going to seek treatment. It is a very compassionate gesture by the court.
.
"Of course my client betrayed the trust but I mean you can't blame the court or anybody else for that. As I said before, there'll always be people who jump bail. You can't stop that."
.
Chanmugam, who held an art exhibition in October, was allowed to leave Singapore for an Australian specialist clinic for two weeks last month to treat his severe depression and loss of appetite.
.
But when the Australian High Commission here said it would not issue a visa due to his pending court case, Chanmugam left for Colombo.
.
He bought a one-way ticket to Colombo, flying via Bangkok, the deputy public prosecutor said.
.

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