Chinese mother jailed for overstaying Singapore visa by 7 years for son’s education: ‘it’s worth it’
Kang Lihong said she had ‘no choice’ as a mother but to overstay in Singapore to support her son’s education In sentencing, the judge said the reasons given by the accused for offending were insufficient, with no extreme or exceptional circumstances
CNA8:20pm, 8 Aug, 2023
A Chinese woman who overstayed in Singapore for more than seven years claimed she did so for her son’s education and that it was “worth it”.
Kang Lihong, 48, was sentenced to the maximum six months on Tuesday for overstaying in Singapore under the Immigration Act.
She also received a S$2,000 (US$1,480) fine in lieu of caning as she cannot be caned since she is a woman.
The court heard that Kang was last issued a long-term visit pass valid from March 2015 to April 2016.
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When her pass expired, she was given a 62-day visit pass that was valid until June, in order for her to leave the country.
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However, Kang did not leave Singapore. Instead, she remained illegally in the country for seven years, one month and 10 days.
She was arrested by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority at her address on August 1 this year.
The woman was remanded and appeared in court via video-link. She did not have a lawyer.
Speaking through a Mandarin interpreter, Kang said: “The reason why I overstayed is because my child was studying in secondary school, so if I go back to China, I’m afraid that my child cannot stay in Singapore.”
After my child graduated and started working, my child asked me to go back to China, but then Covid-19 happened so I was not able to fly back
Kang Lihong
She said her son was “still very young”, so she wanted to stay in Singapore to take care of him.
“After my child graduated and started working, my child asked me to go back to China, but then Covid-19 happened so I was not able to fly back,” said Kang.
She claimed that she “already had the intention to surrender” but ICA arrested her.
“I hope that my case will not affect my child,” she said.
When the judge asked her how old her son currently was, she said he was 25.
“Why would the child be studying in secondary school, and the child is 25 today?” asked the judge.
The woman answered that he studied for five years in secondary school.
Singapore jailed a woman for seven years after she overstayed her visa by seven years, for her son’s education. In sentencing, the judge said the reasons given by the accused for offending were insufficient. Photo: AP
She added that air tickets were very expensive when Covid-19 struck, after her son graduated.
“I was afraid if I go back to China, and anything bad happens, it would be very troublesome. So that is why I overstayed,” she said.
The prosecution pointed out that the woman’s son was already 18 at the beginning of her offences.
“So in that sense, she is not required to remain in Singapore to take care of her child,” he said.
The woman answered that no one was paying for her son’s school fees when he was in polytechnic. “If I don’t stay here, his education will stop here,” she said. “He couldn’t pay his own school fees.”
I admit my mistake but I think it’s worth it
Kang Lihong
She added that there is “no choice” as a mother, adding that she was proud of her son and had to support him as his father was unable to.
“I admit my mistake but I think it’s worth it,” she said.
In sentencing, the judge said the reasons given by the accused for offending were insufficient, with no extreme or exceptional circumstances that qualified as mitigating.
After hearing the sentence, the woman asked repeatedly if the sentence could be shorter.
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“The decision stands,” said the judge, and the woman started to cry, saying she wanted to call her son and asking “can’t it be shorter”.
The penalties for overstaying in Singapore for a period exceeding 90 days are a jail term of up to six months, at least three strokes of the cane, or a fine up to S$6,000 if caning is not possible.
