Man who escaped gallows yearns for curry mee

GEORGE TOWN: After 53 months in a Singapore jail, a hearty bowl of curry mee from a stall near his kampung house and apam from a pasar malam are top on Beh Chew Boo’s (pic) “to eat” list.

The 38-year-old Penangite, who walked out a free man on March 3 after the Singapore Court of Appeal cleared him of a capital drug charge, arrived in Penang yesterday to begin his 10-day quarantine at a hotel.

Beh, who responded to questions on WhatsApp, said he missed Penang food.

“I really miss the food and will definitely eat everything once my quarantine is over. My favourite is in my kampung near Nibong Tebal.

“They are old stalls that I have always frequented, ” said Beh, whose quarantine ends on March 21.The bachelor, who worked as a mover in Singapore, was caught with drugs found under the seat of a borrowed motorcycle at Woodlands Checkpoint in October 2016.

He was sentenced to death by the Singapore High Court early last year.

The Straits Times reported that Beh was released after a panel of judges dismissed a bid by prosecutors to proceed with the trial of four non-capital charges against him.

Beh faced five charges of unauthorised importation of controlled drugs to Singapore.

The prosecution, however, proceeded with only the first charge of drug trafficking, which involved the death penalty, while the other four charges were stood down.

Grateful to be home, Beh said he was happy to see his father and sister at the Penang International Airport before being quarantined at a hotel in Tanjung Bungah.