Indonesia: Lessons from capital punishment

I woke up early this morning to news that Indonesia have executed 8 of them but spared one.

Tragic as it was I told myself it is finally over. Only the media had gained from this, all of us are losers.

I feel sorry that Indonesia had to drag this out for so long. If they had to do this they should have proceeded swiftly. I can't imagine us a small country doing the same, it would surely gravely hurt our interests. This is yet another lesson for small states to bear in mind. Don't wait for full lessons from other small states to take home the relevant lessons.

In the longer term I wonder if we should continue to hang people for some crimes. I think at least we must begin (perhaps we are already) to reduce the crimes that invite the death sentence with the view of doing away with it eventually.

To me the death penalty is not about revenge or even justice but what we want to achieve for the safety of our society. If we can promote the well being of our society without killing criminals we should. However for me this Indonesian episode it a takeaway of how inept the Indonesians are. I am not that optimistic that President Jokowi can do a good job. The shoes of the presidency are simply too large for him. I am reminded of the naive speech he made at the recent Asia-Africa summit. His speech on a world without a dominant power but equals is the most unstable arrangement possible. He is totally out of depth in foreign affairs.

Update: 4:00pm

I wasn't expecting this. Yahoo carried this by AFP. They went to their deaths singing Amazing Grace. This is as close as you get from the other person hanging beside Christ and he asked him to remember him when it is all over.

The only way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The prison pastor did his job very well.