AHONG KONG woman awaiting execution in Singapore has been abandoned by her parents and fears her last hope lies with Governor Chris Patten.
Tong Ching-man, now 22, and her former boyfriend Lam Cheuk-wang, are two of four Hong Kong prisoners - two men and two women - on Singapore's death row. But her cousin, Iris Tong Pik-wan, 21, has criticised the island nation's use of the death penalty for first offences and urged Mr Patten to lodge an appeal.
'It is too harsh and inhuman to execute someone for his or her first crime,' Miss Tong said. 'Everyone has committed mistakes, but if they are willing to turn over a new leaf, why don't we give them a chance?' Miss Tong, who returned from visiting her jailed cousin in Singapore at Christmas, said she had fallen prey to bigger criminals. A former waitress, Ching-man was 18 when she was arrested at Singapore's Changi airport while travelling from Hong Kong to Brussels. Beneath her blouse, she was wearing a specially-made vest with pockets containing 1.47 kilograms of heroin worth more than $10 million.
The teenager had been travelling with 19-year-old Lam, who was wearing a similar vest concealing 1.67 kg of heroin. The couple had only known each other a short time. Lam later gave evidence saying he had no relationship with Ching-man, according to reports of the Singapore trial.
The pair were arrested on December 15, 1988. The case came to trial two years ago, and the defence submitted Ching-man and Lam had not known they were carrying heroin and should not be charged with importing the drug to Singapore because they were in transit and remained in the airport area. It was rejected in 1993, and Tong's appeal against her conviction was dismissed last June.
Miss Tong said she had hoped her cousin's background could have been taken into consideration.