KMT lawmaker sparks debate with proposal to cane scammers

Taipei, Oct. 20 (CNA) Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) lawmaker Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) sparked widespread discussion with a Facebook post last week proposing caning as a punishment for people convicted of fraud, which racked up over 100,000 likes.

The Oct. 16 post, which opens "Singapore can. Can Taiwan?" cites a Straits Times report stating that Singapore's government plans to expand the use of caning as a punishment for scammers and scam mules.

Despite scammers already facing fines and up to 10 years imprisonment in Singapore, scam cases have continued to rise, prompting authorities there to seek a more effective deterrent, Hung said.

Under Singapore's new proposed laws, scam mules could face discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes, while members and recruiters of scam syndicates could face up to 24 strokes, he said.

Taiwan, meanwhile, has long failed to stamp out crimes such as fraud and drunk driving, even with steadily increasing penalties, leading some "scholars and members of the public" to propose adopting Singapore's caning system, Hung said.

Just as he had recently traveled with Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) to meet lawmakers in Japan, Hung said he will likewise suggest holding legislative exchanges with Singapore, in order to "gain a first-hand understanding" of how the caning system works.

Hung's post garnered an enthusiastic response, racking up over 100,000 likes and 24,000 comments as of Monday, with many people calling for other types of criminals, such as child or animal abusers, to be caned.

A number of public figures in Taiwan also weighed in on the subject over the following days.

Cheng Tsai-wei (鄭才暐), a popular influencer known by the moniker "Cheap," noted that Singapore is able to maintain its caning system for a variety of reasons, including its unique role as an international finance and shipping hub, and its relative insulation against international pressure.

Although Taiwan has some international leverage due to its prominence in chipmaking and also has high levels of support for capital punishment, the government has signed onto the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits corporal punishment, he said.

Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄), a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, said the idea would be a "step backwards" for human rights in Taiwan.

Adopting caning of criminals would draw international condemnation and serve no rehabilitative purpose, Chuang said, suggesting a more "reasonable" approach to combating fraud, such as increasing criminal penalties or making it more difficult for scammers to be granted parole.

According to the Singapore Legal Advice website, judicial caning is applicable to more than 30 offenses under the Penal Code and is mandatory for offenses such as robbery, drug trafficking and vandalism.

Judicial caning can be administered to males aged 18 to 50, and involves up to 24 strokes on the buttocks of the offender with a long rattan cane.

Despite signalling his support for caning scammers, Hung did not indicate that he would pursue legislation to enact it into law.