SINGAPORE — A British national who was sentenced to 20 years’ jail in Singapore for drug-related offences “must bear the consequences of his actions" in accordance with the Republic's laws, said a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) spokesperson on Tuesday (Jan 15).

The case has made headlines in the United Kingdom, with UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt raising his country's opposition against the use of corporal punishment during a recent meeting in Singapore with the Republic's Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. 

In response to media queries, the MHA also rebutted an article by British newspaper Daily Mail on Yuen Ye Ming, 29, which quoted his sister as saying that he was supposed to be caned but that it did not proceed after he protested with prison guards.

The MHA spokesperson clarified that Yuen faces 24 strokes of the cane — the maximum number that can be meted out to an offender — but the caning has not yet been carried out.

“The claim by Yuen’s sister that was reported by the Daily Mail, that we were going to proceed with the caning and then had halted it, is patently false,” the MHA spokesperson said.

The London-born former club disc jockey, who was first arrested in August 2016, was convicted in court in January last year. He was then released on court bail pending sentencing.

A month later, he was arrested again for committing similar drug-related offences.

He was ultimately convicted of offences including drug trafficking, as well as consumption and possession of drugs. 

According to the Daily Mail, his charges included trafficking in 15g of methamphetamine, as well as almost 130g of cannabis, also known as marijuana or weed.  

The article also said that Yuen originally faced the death penalty, but it was dropped as the net weight of drugs involved was below 500g.

In Singapore, offenders who are found in possession of a certain amount of controlled drugs face the mandatory death penalty.

Representatives from the British High Commission in Singapore, as well as his family members, have visited him, said the MHA spokesperson.

Responding to media queries, a spokesperson from the United Kingdom (UK)’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that Mr Hunt personally raised the case with Dr Balakrishnan earlier this month.

Mr Hunt was in the Republic for a two-day visit, during which both countries launched a “partnership for the future”, building on the historical links between Singapore and the UK.

“Our consular staff have been assisting a British man and his family since his arrest in Singapore in 2016. We strongly oppose the use of corporal punishment, such as caning, in all cases,” the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said.