"Having lived in Singapore for two years (although "incarcerated" would be more apt a word), I believe that Nguyen Tuong Van will not be coming home. All the sentiments that we Australians are conjuring up in petitioning for him to be given another go, and showing mateship for a common goal, such as the petition from all MPs, will not move the Singapore Government.

"Singaporeans, in general, are a passionless people. Hence, to appeal to their emotional psyche is a waste of time and effort. However, don't blame the people. Blame their Government. I spend two high school years in Singapore, and this opened my eyes to how brainwashed and cowed the citizens are. The Australian catch cry is "have a go". The Singapore equivalent is "kiah su", a Chinese dialectic phrase that means, afraid to lose. This is a country that suffocates public opinions of the Government through lawsuits, that discourages blue-collars from procreating, and that created a dating service for socially inept graduates to create more intelligent babies. Nguyen, thank you for your work at Changi Prison. You have brought comfort and strength to the mainly Singaporean inmates on death row.

"You stand out — not as an Australian mule, as Wilson Tuckey says, but as an Australian who is passionate and cares for others. Good on you, mate."

Ian Lam, Letter to The Age, 5 November 2005