To Pardon Or Not To Pardon Part 2: Of Lee Meng And Mokhtar Hashim

LEE MENG

Lee Meng, a famous communist courier during Malayan Emergency was captured by the Special Branch in early 50s. She was sentenced to death for possession of a hand grenade and for ordering several murders. Her case attracted worldwide attention including an offer by the then communist government of Hungary to swap her freedom with a British spy detained in Budapest. Her appeal to the Privy Council was also rejected. Point to note: until 1978, final appeal for criminal cases must be referred to the Privy Council now replaced by the Malaysian Supreme Court.

Lee Meng on her way to court

Since her conviction was in a Perak court, her final appeal was for pardon from the Perak Sultan. And interestingly, her appeal for pardon was supported by more than 50 members of British Parliament. Even Winston Churchill, the then British Prime Minister strongly argued against her pardon but the Sultan of Perak agreed to pardon her and she was banished to China after her pardon.

The three most powerful men during World War 2. Churchill seated left

Lee Meng's case is one of those cases forgotten by history. If you are insterested to read her story written like a novel, buy a book titled The War of the Running Dogs by Noel Barber. But for serious reading, go for Chin Peng's My Side Of History or Leo Comber's Malaya's Secret Police 1945-60: The Special Branch In The Malayan Emergency.

MOKHTAR HASHIM

Mokhtar Hashim was a Federal Minister when he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by Kuala Lumpur High Court in 1983. He served as The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports. The Pardons Board later commuted his sentence to life imprisonment in 1984. In 1991 he recived a royal pardon and was released from prison.

In total, he served less than 10 years in prison. Another point to note, he received his first pardon about a year after he was found guilty.

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We can learn two things from these two two episodes.

One, Yang di Pertuan Agung or whoever chairs the Pardon Board has absolute discretion in pardon pleas. The Sultan of Perak pardoned Lee Meng even though one of the most powerful figures in history, Winston Churchill objected to it. We must remember Malaya as we were known back then was part of British Colony and Winston Churchill was the British Prime Minister.

Secondly, arguments that say pardons must only be considered after a convict has served one third (and some say two thirds) of his sentence is probably not true. Mokhtar received his first pardon after only a year and his second pardon less than half into his sentence.

To Pardon Or Not To Pardon Part 1

To Pardon Or Not To Pardon Part 3

To Pardon Or Not To Pardon Part 4