Of Euthanasia

Channelnewsasia:

SINGAPORE : Doctors, caregivers and religious groups in Singapore have said there is a distinct difference between euthanasia and the Advanced Medical Directive (AMD) which the Health Ministry wants to simplify. 

While the AMD extends a person's autonomy on how he would like to die, euthanasia is seen as an act of killing. 

And experts said Singapore society is not ready to legalise euthanasia. 

As Singapore's population ages, the country is in the midst of a debate on how one can die with dignity. At the centre of it is the Advanced Medical Directive. 

The Health Ministry is studying how to make it easier for people to sign up for the AMD - a document, where you can explicitly state how you want your final days to be, if you are terminally ill. 

The issue now is a confusion between what is AMD and what is euthanasia. (Full article here)

Those who have heard about my views about old age in the past would not be unfamiliar with what i'm about to say. It has always been my opinion that when i reach old age and become frail, my health is unlikely to hold up and that would potentially mean a less meaning life for an elderly me.. i should have a good 35 years ahead of me before i start worrying, but all this recent talk about euthanasia got me thinking..

Euthanasia is now viewed as a form of killing, the question here is.. the death occurs to one who is terminally ill.. doctors, religious organisations and people who think they know better are arguing that Euthanasia is wrong, they argue that no one has the right to take away the life of a terminally ill, despite the hardship and pain that the patient and family go through in the final journey of the patients life..

how then does a terminally ill patient compare to the life of a criminal awaiting death-roll? In Singapore, to be hung for your crimes is not a surprise: Murder, Drug Trafficking and Kidnapping all carry the death penalty on our shores.. the death penalty take life away from criminal too.. is it more morale to end the life of a criminal that wishes to live than ending the life of a terminally ill patient that wishes to be released from the suffering?

While our dear Health Minister states the obvious "this is a morale dilemma that Singaporeans have to face", the ball is not in our court to decide how and when things end.. in Singapore, it is also criminal to attempt suicide

I might as well clarify this since we are on the topic of suicide.. Section 309 of the Penal Code states that anyone who ATTEMPTS suicide is culpable to criminal offence.. attempt is the key word here.. it was almost ridiculous when i first heard that people have the impression that people who COMMIT suicide are handcuffed..

Now why in the world would the Police, or any Police want to do that? Handcuff a body? Is the body likely to run away? An offence committed? Well.. he or she did ATTEMPT suicide, hey, it was even successful! But there is no logic in handcuffing the dead and our police, despite its shortcomings, aren't fools who apply the law as it is.. 

So for the record, while it is an offence to attempt or abet suicide.. the actual act of suicide(successful one i mean) has no resulting offence.

My apologies for looking at the morbid topics of euthanasia and suicide without empathy.. i know it'll be just as hard for me when i face death.. but surely you would know by now how morbid i can be

Live on, life is short