09 July 2006

Songs For Sam

Capital punishment is a topic that I've blogged about on many occasions - sometimes directly, sometimes obliquely - but regular readers of my blog know where I stand. Some links to my past articles:

Death in Thailand
On Capital Punishment
Death and Other Stories
Woof Woof
More on Death

Some of you will also remember the case of Shanmugam Murugetsu (or Sam, as he was also affectionately known as) who was hanged sometime last year. I had previously blogged about the memorial concert for him, as well as interviewed one of the performers - Cyril Wong:
"About Shanmugam's memorial concert, I sang for it for two reasons – I do not believe in capital punishment, and I hate the idea that you cannot speak in such events without needing to provide the police with your IC number. So I went up and sang a Chinese lullaby, a strategy to offer a very momentary reprieve in the midst of all that grief, all the political and personal frustrations, but also it is a gentle fuck-you to the ones who do not believe in free-speech."

I learned recently that some of the performers in that concert have come together again to put together an album entitled "Songs For Sam". The complete launch details aren't available yet, but here's the album cover:

front


... and a quick note from the producers:
The CD compiles 12 local original compositions with themes relating to issue of capital punishment. Some of the 12 artistes featured include X' Ho, Zai Kuning, Six T Nine, The Escapist Theorist and Ila Mitra. It will be selling at SG$10 each and will be officially launched with a concert in August 2006.

We hope that in listening to this CD, you will also feel that spirit of people who joined the fight to save Sam's life and to prevent any similar miscarriages of justice from taking place again. Part of the proceeds from the sales of this CD will be given to Sam's family. Before his arrest and subsequent execution, Sam was the sole support of his disabled mother, Madam Letchumi, and his twin teenage sons. (Sam was a single father supporting the family with a series of jobs held simultaneously.)

In buying the CD, you will not only be helping this family so recently visited by avoidable tragedy, but will be supporting a cause that argues for the value of life and fights for that.

Right now, it seems that the only way to buy the album is to email songsforsam@gmail.com and ask for details. This post is brought to you under Mr Wang's ongoing and free publicity programme for good causes.
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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

If sam was a killer, this shows a disgusting disrespect for his victims and victim's family.

Anonymous said...

He was a drug trafficker.

Anonymous said...

Btw, you might want to click on Mr Wang's link "Death in Thailand" ... the families of murder victims do not necessarily agree with capital punishment either.