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SCMP Reporter

ALL three Hong Kong people on death row in Singapore for drug offences are to be hanged on Friday.

  Last week, Singapore authorities notified the families of Poon Yuen-chung, 22, and Tong Ching-man, 24, of the execution date.

  A source confirmed last night that a third prisoner, Tong's former boyfriend Lam Cheuk-wang, 25, who was arrested with Tong in December 1988, would also be hanged.

  Yesterday, Poon's sister said news of the execution had shattered her family.

  'We thought since both Yuen-chung and Ching-man were very young when they committed the offences and they are the last two Hong Kong women left in [Singapore's Changi Prison], their sentences could be commuted,' she said.

  During a visit last month Poon said she was hopeful that one day she would walk free.

  'It was a happy meeting. She was confident,' her sister said.

  Poon was aged 18 years and 10 months when she was arrested at Singapore's Changi Airport in 1991 in possession of three kilograms of heroin.

  She has said she wants her organs donated in Hong Kong as she did not want to leave the world 'without leaving anything behind'.

  Poon's sister yesterday joined Tong's family in criticising the way news of the executions had been relayed to them.

  'We were told late last week - at the start of the Easter holiday - of the execution date,' the sister said.

  'Tickets are fully booked and they are expensive. Our travel agent tried but could only get us to Singapore on Tuesday, which means instead of visiting her on three days, we can only see her twice before she goes.'   She said the Singapore Government had not appreciated the family's wish to see Poon as much as possible.

  'We asked for the execution to be postponed as soon as we heard the date. They said no,' she said.

  'All I can say is Singapore is harsh. To say we can appeal for clemency is giving us false hope.

  'Nobody has ever been spared. What is the point of killing a young life?'   Poon earlier pleaded with Governor Chris Patten to appeal for clemency but he said it would be inappropriate while she was appealing against her death sentence through Singapore's courts.

   Her appeal failed.

  A telegram sent by the Singapore Government to Tong's family at Tai Po last Thursday said she was to be executed on Friday.

   Tong was sentenced to death after being found by Singapore authorities at the city's airport wearing a specially made vest containing 24 blocks of heroin worth more than $10 million.

  Lam, who was wearing a similar vest, was arrested at the same time.

  The Singapore Government does not release details of executions until they have been carried out.

   The British High Commission in Singapore did not comment. A spokesman said the office was closed.

  No Hong Kong resident found guilty of drug trafficking has been spared by Singapore's President Ong Teng Cheong. Daniel Chan Chi-pun, 38, who was executed in March, was the last Hong Kong resident hanged for drug offences.



Last HK three to face the gallows on Friday