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Two Indonesians convicted for attempting to leave Singapore illegally

Xinhua, June 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Two Indonesians were convicted and face imprisonment and three strokes of canes for trying to leave Singapore illegally, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a press release on Friday.

ICA said that officers stopped a Malaysia-registered saloon car at the Woodlands Checkpoint for checks on May 21. When they opened the car boot, they found a man crouching inside. The driver and the "boot passenger," both Indonesians, were immediately placed under arrest.

The 48-year-old driver, Hasan Bin Maksum and the 41-year-old " boot passenger," Sofyan Soeb, were charged and convicted on June 4. Maksum was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and three strokes of the cane for conveying Sofyan out of Singapore, while Soeb was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and three strokes of the cane for overstaying in Singapore and failing to present his passport when leaving Singapore, ICA said, adding that the vehicle has been detained and is liable for forfeiture.

ICA said it takes a serious view of attempts to overstay, enter or depart Singapore illegally. Under the Immigration Act, the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months plus a minimum of three strokes of the cane, while the penalties for engaging in the business of conveying prohibited immigrant into and out of Singapore is a jail term of no less than two years and no more than five years and caning of no less than 3 strokes. Endi