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more than 200 grams of cannabis resin; or more than 250 grams of methamphetamine, will be executed unless granted a pardon by the President. These are completely arbitrary amounts, and are considered minor by international standards.

A person found guilty of importing or exporting any of the above drugs in the aforementioned quantities also faces mandatory death.

Under Schedule 2 of the Act, a person found guilty of manufacturing any quantity of morphine, heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine shall be punished by death.

Firearms and Kidnapping Offences

The Internal Security Act gives the President of Singapore power to designate security areas. If a person is found in possession of an unauthorised firearm, ammunition or explosive within a security area, they face the mandatory death sentence (s 58). Anyone proven to be consorting with someone who unlawfully possesses a firearm, ammunition or explosive inside a security area in a manner that endangers public security, shall also receive death, however this is subject to a court's discretion (s 59).

The Arms Offences Act stipulates a mandatory death sentence for anyone using or attempting to unlawfully use firearms for any purpose (s 4). Further, anyone using or attempting to use arms to commit, or attempt to commit, scheduled offences shall face death (s 4A). This includes accomplices who knew of the possession of arms (s 5). The scheduled offences are: being a member of an unlawful assembly; rioting; offences against the person; abduction or kidnapping; extortion; burglary; robbery; preventing or resisting arrest; vandalism; and mischief. Trafficking in arms defined as unlawful possession of more than two firearms is punishable by death or imprisonment (s 6).

Finally, under section 3 of the Kidnapping Act, any person who wrongfully abducts, confines or restrains a person for the purposes of ransom can be sentenced to death or life imprisonment.

POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSE

The author William Gibson famously described Singapore as "Disneyland with the death penalty". It is an apt description, because Singapore is a country where prosperous economic conditions disguise an authoritarian political system.

The ruling PAP has won every general election since being granted self-government by the British in 1959. Opposition politicians exist, but can only contest elections if they pass the stringent rules set by the PAP-controlled Parliament. As the Prime Minister can call an election at any time, the 2006 election saw a campaigning

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