TNAG-1996-FCO40-2843-Hong-Kong-Drug-Trafficking-(Recovery-of-Proceeds)-Ordinance--1991 — Page 292

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE KUALA LUMPUR

TELNO DISTRESS 22

OF 061615Z JUNE 89

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

Hllen 385/2 нко

35

163365

MDHOAN 2664

PA

FROM CONSULAR DEPT

OUR DISTRESS 19: HONG KONG EIGHT.

q

PRIME MINISTER'S PLEA

PM HAS AGREED. APPROVED TEXT AS FOLLOWS:

I KNOW THAT THE JUDICIAL PROCESS CONCERNING MISS HAN TSHI LING, AU KING CHOR, CHAN YUI TIM, CHOW SING, IP TAK MING, LAI CHI PING, NG YIU KWOK AND YUEN KWOK KWAN, BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZENS, HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AND I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT THE PENANG PARDONS BOARD HAVE REJECTED THE PLEA FOR COMMUTATION OF THE DEATH SENTENCE PASSED ON THEM FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING.

I

I IN NO WAY WISH TO QUESTION THE DECISIONS OF MALAYSIAN COURTS. I DO, HOWEVER, URGE YOU TO CONSIDER WHETHER, FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO COMMUTE THE DEATH SENTENCES. HAVE IN MIND PARTICULARLY THAT, AS THEY COMMITTED THE OFFENCE BEFORE THE DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING BECAME MANDATORY IN MALAYSIA, IT MAY STILL BE POSSIBLE TO EXERCISE SOME DISCRETION ON THIS POINT.

YOUR SINCERELY,

MARGARET THATCHER.

(END OF TEXT)

2=

CONFIRM THAT YOU MAY USE THIS TEXT WITHOUT FURTHER

INSTRUCTION SHOULD THE PARDONS BOARD UPHOLD THE DEATH SENTENCE. SHOULD THIS BE NECESSARY, GRATEFUL YOU ADVISE IMMEDIATELY ACTION TAKEN.

HOWE

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