By Khushwant Singh
AN INDONESIAN boatman who ferried three Chinese nationals into Singapore illegally on the instructions of a Malaysian was jailed two years and ordered to be caned six times on Thursday.
A district court heard that Zamri Muhammad Ali, 34, was approached by a man by the name of Gemuk while in Johor in late September this year.
The Malaysian offered the boatman RM1,000 (S$416) for each successful trip to smuggle illegal immigrants from Johor into Singapore.
On Sept 30, Gemuk told him to sneak in three female Chinese nationals, aged 32, 40 and 41, and was supplied with a 6m-long fibreglass speedboat.
Close to the shore at Senoko, the women leapt and the boatman tried to flee back to Malaysian waters but was intercepted by PCG boats and arrested.
The court heard that the three Chinese nationals had been dealt with for entering Singapore illegally.
they continue the smuggling despite risk of arrest and caning by the singapore police. WHY? I suspect there are plenty others who have successfully sneaked thru.